Chimeric MSP-based malaria vaccine

ABSTRACT

The invention provides an immunogenic composition comprising MSPk-8 linked to an antigen. Methods of using the composition to induce an immune response in an animal are also provided.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/903,210, filed Feb. 23, 2007, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

This invention was made with government support under Grant Number R01A135661 awarded by the NIH-National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The government has certain rights in the invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite. Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax are the two predominant human malaria parasites. Although malaria was eliminated as a major public health problem in the United States in the late 1940's, it remains a major health problem in developing countries. Each year, 350-500 million cases of malaria occur worldwide and over one million people die, most of them young children in sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria also takes a high toll on pregnant women.

In nature, malaria parasites spread by infecting successively two types of hosts: a vertebrate host (humans) and an invertebrate host (female Anopheles mosquitoes). Malarial parasites enter a human when an infected female mosquito feeds. The parasites, which are called sporozoites at this stage, migrate to the liver where they grow and multiply in hepatocytes, and are released as merozoites. Merozoites infect erythrocytes, where they develop and multiply. In the erythrocytic cycle, the parasite progresses through a series of blood stages (ring stage, trophozoite, and schizont). In the schizont stage, the infected erythrocyte lyses, releasing the multiplied population of merozoites, which then infect new erythrocytes. Some parasites in erythrocytes mature into reproductive gameotcytes that are ingested by a feeding mosquito. In the insect gut, the gametocytes develop into oocysts that grow, rupture and release sporozoites that migrate to the mosquito's salivary glands, thus completing the cycle.

Clinical disease occurs when parasites invade and replicate within host erythrocytes, a process which may lead to life-threatening complications, including severe anemia, splenic rupture, cerebral malaria, respiratory distress, and/or renal failure. Morbidity and mortality result during the asexual development and replication of P. falciparum or P. vivax parasites within erythrocytes (Miller et al., 2002, Nature 415: 673-679). While malaria is generally curable if diagnosed promptly and treated correctly, and there are medications available for prophylactic treatment, malaria remains a leading cause of death and disease in many developing countries. In addition, drug-resistant malaria strains are increasing. Thus, the need for a effective malaria vaccine is high.

The intraerythrocytic parasites are somewhat shielded from many cell-mediated and antibody-mediated immune effector mechanisms, and naturally acquired immunity is slow to develop. When the intracellular parasite matures and the host erythrocyte is lysed, the merozoites released are accessible to serum immunoglobulins before they invade new red blood cells (RBCs). While neutralization of free merozoites can occur, plasmodial parasites have also evolved mechanisms to avoid invasion-inhibiting antibodies. There are several alternate invasion pathways that depend on complex interactions between sets of several merozoite proteins and several host erythrocyte receptors (Barnwell et al., 1998, Invasion of vertebrate cells: erythrocytes, p. 93-120. In I. W. Sherman (ed.), Malaria: parasite biology, pathogenesis, and protection. ASM Press, Washington, D.C.; Berzins, 2002, Chem. Immunol. 80:125-143; Dolan et al., 1990, J. Clin. Invest. 86:618-624.; Hadley et al., 1987, J. Clin. Invest. 80:1190-1193; Mitchell et al., 1986, Blood 67:1519-1521; Sim et al., 1994, Science 264:1941-1944). This redundancy of invasion pathways enables invasion to occur, even if one receptor-ligand interaction is blocked. In addition, merozoite-neutralizing antibodies are often strain specific due to a significant degree of polymorphism in many merozoite surface antigens (Barnwell et al., 1998, Invasion of vertebrate cells: erythrocytes, p. 93-120. In I. W. Sherman (ed.), Malaria: parasite biology, pathogenesis, and protection. ASM Press, Washington, D.C.; Berzins, 2002, Chem. Immunol. 80:125-143; Holder, 1996, Preventing merozoite invasion of erythrocytes, p. 77-104. In S. L. Hoffman (ed.), Malaria vaccine development: a multi-immune response approach. ASM Press, Washington, D.C).

Several malaria vaccine strategies, which target pre-erythrocytic surface proteins, liver stage antigens and/or blood stage antigens, are currently being pursued (Heppner et al., 2005, Vaccine 23: 2243-2250; Mahanty et al., 2003, J. Exp. Biol. 206: 3781-3788; Richie et al., 2002, Nature 415: 694-701). The goal of blood-stage vaccines is to reduce parasite load and/or prevent life-threatening complications of malaria once parasites are replicating within red blood cells (RBCs). The single, most feasible strategy for blood-stage malaria is to immunize the host with subunit vaccines that induce high titers of antibodies that neutralize extracellular merozoites and prevent invasion of RBCs (Berzins, 2002, Chem. Immunol. 80: 125-143; Galinsky et al., 2005, pp. 113-168. In: I. W. Sherman (ed), Molecular Approaches to Malaria, ASM Press, Washington D.C.; Holder, 1996, pp. 77-104. In: S. L. Hoffman (ed), Malaria vaccine development: a multi-immune response approach, ASM Press, Washington D.C.; Mahanty et al., 2003 J. Exp. Biol. 206: 3781-3788). However, the multiple receptor-ligand interactions and alternate redundant pathways involved in merozoite invasion of RBCs, combined with the polymorphism of vaccine candidate antigens, present a challenge for vaccine design (Berzins, 2002, Chem. Immunol. 80: 125-143; Galinsky et al., 2005, pp. 113-168. In: I. W. Sherman (ed), Molecular Approaches to Malaria, ASM Press, Washington D.C.; Gaur et al, 2004, Int. J. Parasitol. 34: 1413-1429).

P. falciparum merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-1; gp195) emerged during the 1980's as a viable blood-stage vaccine target. MSP-1 is an abundant component of the merozoite surface coat, is conserved across plasmodial species and is essential for parasite growth (Berzins, 2002, Chem. Immunol. 80: 125-143; Galinsky et al., 2005, pp. 113-168. In: I. W. Sherman (ed), Molecular Approaches to Malaria, ASM Press, Washington D.C.; Gaur et al, 2004, Int. J. Parasitol. 34: 1413-1429; Holder, 1996, pp. 77-104. In: S. L. Hoffman (ed), Malaria vaccine development: a multi-immune response approach, ASM Press, Washington D.C.; O'Donnell et al., 2000, Nat. Med. 6: 91-95). During schizont maturation and segmentation, MSP-1 is synthesized as a ˜195 kDa precursor protein that is proteolytically processed to form a multi-subunit complex expressed on the surface of merozoites (Holder et al., 1984, J. Exp. Med. 160: 624-62; Lyon et al., 1986, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83: 2989-2993; McBride et al., 1987, Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 23: 71-84). MSP-1₄₂ refers to the 42 kDa, GPI-anchored component in the C-terminal portion of the protein which results from proteolytic processing. Subsequent additional cleavage near the time of invasion yields a 19 kDa, C-terminal domain, called MSP-1₁₉, on the merozoite surface (Blackman et al., 1990, J. Exp. Med. 172: 379-382). MSP-1₁₉ contains two highly-conserved, epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domains, which are targets of protective antibodies and which are the major focus of the MSP-1 vaccine development effort (see, for instance, Burns et al., 1989, J. Immunol. 143: 2670-2676; Darko et al., 2005, Infect. Immun. 73: 287-297; Egan et al., 1995, Infect. Immun. 63: 456-466; O'Donnell et al., 2001, J. Exp. Med. 193: 1403-1412). It has been demonstrated that it is the conserved spatial structure of the MSP-1 EGF-like domains, however, and not their primary amino acid sequence, that is essential for parasite growth (O'Donnell et al., 2000, Nat. Med. 6: 91-95).

Vaccines based on the two major alleles of P. falciparum MSP-1₄₂ (PfMSP-1₄₂) are currently in clinical trials (Angov et al. 2003, Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 128: 195-204; Ockenhouse et al., 2006, Vaccine 24: 3009-3017; Stoute et al., Vaccine, Epub 2005 Dec. 7). MSP-1₄₂ consists of the N-terminal component, MSP-1₃₃ and the C-terminal component, MSP-1₁₉. The MSP-1₃₃ processed fragment does not appear to be a primary target of neutralizing antibodies but can provide a source of parasite-specific, T cell epitopes. One problem has been the relatively low immunogenicity of PfMSP-1₄₂-based vaccines in non-human primates and in human subjects. To increase immunogenicity, P. falciparum MSP-1 (PfMSP-1) subunit vaccines formulated with different adjuvants have been tested in non-human primates. However, no adjuvants tested have enhanced PfMSP-1 immunogenicity to the desired level (Burghaus et al., 1996, Infect. Immun. 64: 3614-3619; Chang et al., 1996, Infect. Immun. 64: 253-261; Darko et al., 2005, Infect. Immun. 73: 287-297; Kumar et al., 1995, Mol. Med. 1: 325-332; Kumar et al., 2000, Infect. Immun. 68: 2215-2223; Stowers et al., 2001, Infect. Immun. 69: 1536-1546). Phase I safety and immunogenicity trials of PfMSP-1₄₂ formulated with AS02A (GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals), an oil-in-water emulsion containing both QS21 and 3-deacylated monophosphoryl lipid A, have been completed in malaria-naïve US volunteers and semi-immune Kenyan adults (Ockenhouse et al., 2006, Vaccine 24: 3009-3017; Stoute et al., 2007, Vaccine, 25:176-184, Epub 2005 Dec. 7). The immunogenicity data and the relatively low activity of elicited antibodies in growth inhibition assays suggest that further improvements will be required.

Thus, there is a need in the art for a vaccine with improved immunogenicity and protective efficacy, and in particular, a malaria vaccine. The present invention addresses this need.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a composition comprising merozoite surface protein-8 (MSP-8) linked to an antigen. In one embodiment, the antigen is selected from the group consisting of: polypeptide, nucleic acid, polysaccharide, lipid, hapten, inorganic material, and inorganic chemical compound. In another embodiment, the antigen is a polypeptide. In one aspect of this embodiment, the polypeptide antigen is covalently linked to MSP-8. In one aspect of this embodiment, the polypeptide is MSP-1₁₉. In one embodiment, MSP-8 and MSP-1₁₉ are P. falciparum or P. vivax sequences or sequences substantially homologous thereto. In one embodiment, the polypeptide is linked to MSP-8 via a linker selected from the group consisting of: a glycine linker, a glycine-rich linker and a glycine-serine linker.

The invention also provides a nucleic acid comprising a sequence encoding a fusion protein comprising merozoite surface protein-8 (MSP-8) linked to a polypeptide antigen. In an embodiment, the nucleic acid consists essentially of a sequence encoding a fusion protein comprising MSP-8 linked to a polypeptide antigen. In another embodiment, a nucleic acid encoding the composition comprising MSP-1₁₉ linked to MSP-8 is provided. In an embodiment, MSP-1₁₉ is linked to MSP-8 via a spacer peptide. Preferably, the spacer peptide is a five glycine peptide.

Kits comprising a composition of the invention and an instructional material are also provided by the invention.

An isolated antibody that specifically binds to a composition comprising MSP-8 covalently linked to MSP-1₁₉ is provided by the invention. In one embodiment, the antibody is selected from the group consisting of a polyclonal antibody, a monoclonal antibody, a humanized antibody, a synthetic antibody, a heavy chain antibody, a biologically active fragment of an antibody, wherein the biologically active fragment comprises an Fv fragment, an Fab fragment or an F(ab)₂ fragment, and combinations thereof. In one aspect of this embodiment, the heavy chain antibody is selected from the group consisting of a camelid antibody, a heavy chain disease antibody, and a variable heavy chain immunoglobulin.

Kits comprising an antibody of the invention and an instructional material are provided by the invention.

The invention further provides a vaccine comprising a composition of the invention. In one embodiment, the vaccine is a nucleic acid encoding a composition of the invention.

Additionally, a method of immunizing a human against a Plasmodium infection, comprising the step of administering an effective amount of a composition comprising merozoite surface protein-8 (MSP-8) linked to MSP-1₁₉ is provided. In one embodiment, MSP-8 and MSP-1₁₉ are P. falciparum or P. vivax sequences or sequences substantially homologous thereto.

The invention further provides a method of inducing an immune response against an antigen in an animal, the method comprising the steps of a) linking the antigen to MSP-8 to form a composition and b) administering an effective amount of the composition to the animal. In one embodiment, the antigen is selected from the group consisting of: polypeptide, nucleic acid, polysaccharide, lipid, hapten, inorganic material, and inorganic chemical compound.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are depicted in the drawings certain embodiments of the invention. However, the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities of the embodiments depicted in the drawings.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are images of SDS-polyacrylamide gels (12%) run under reducing (1A) or non-reducing (1B) conditions and stained with Coomassie Blue. Lane 1: rPyMSP-1₄₂ (3 μg). Lane 2:, rPyMSP-8 (3 μg). Lane 3:, GST-PyMSP-1₁₉ (3 μg). Lane 4: GST-PyMSP-8C (3 μg). Lane 5: GST. Molecular mass markers (M) are as indicated on the left side.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are images of immunoblots of 12% SDS-polyacrylamide gels. In FIG. 2A, blots were probed with mAb302, which recognizes epitopes associated with the EGF-like domains of PyMSP-1, or with normal mouse sera (NMS). In FIG. 2B, blots were probed with polyclonal rabbit sera raised against refolded rPyMSP-8 or normal rabbit sera (NRS). Lane 1: rPyMSP-1₄₂ (0.1 μg). Lane 2: GST-PyMSP-1₁₉ (0.1 μg). Lane 3: GST (0.1 μg). Molecular weight markers are indicated.

FIGS. 3A and 3B depict graphs regarding vaccine efficacy of co-immunization with rPyMSP-1₄₂ and rPyMSP-8. FIG. 3A depicts the % parasitemia in BALB/cByJ mice (n=5) immunized with one of four formulations and challenged with 1×10⁵ P. yoelii 17XL parasitized erythrocytes two weeks following the third immunization. rPyMSP-1₄₂ (

, 10 μg); rPyMSP-8 (

, 10 μg); rPyMSP-1₄₂ and rPyMSP-8 (

, 10 μg each); and Quil A alone (

). The resulting parasitemia was monitored by enumerating parasitized RBCs in thin tail-blood smears stained with Giemsa. “#D” refers to the number of deceased animals at each time point. FIG. 3B depicts the Ag-specific IgG titer in prechallenge immunization sera. Antibody titers were determined by ELISA and are mean±SD. rPyMSP-1₄₂ (

), GST-PyMSP-1₁₉ (

), rPyMSP-8 (

) and GST-PyMSP-8C (

). Immunization groups are indicated along the x-axis. N.D.—none detected.

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C depict a schematic of a fusion protein and a series of images of protein gels and immunoblots. FIG. 4A depicts schematically the components of the chimeric PyMSP-1/8 vaccine molecule. The left side is the N-terminal and the right side is the C-terminal. The schematic depicts the double EGF-like domains of PyMSP-1₁₉ (stippled box) followed by a 5-glycine spacer (filled box) and the full-length PyMSP-8 (open box) with the C-terminal EGF-like domains in PyMSP-8 shown as a hatched box. Approximate positions of cysteine residues are indicated by vertical lines. FIG. 4B consists of images of Coomassie-blue stained SDS-polyacrylamide gel (12%) of purified rPyMSP1/8 (3 μg/lane) under reducing (R) or non-reducing (NR) conditions. FIG. 4C consists of images of the corresponding immunoblot analysis of non-reduced rPyMSP-1/8 probed with: 1) PyMSP-1₁₉ specific mAB302; 2) normal mouse sera; 3) rabbit anti-rPyMSP-8 sera; and 4) normal rabbit sera. Molecular weight markers are indicated.

FIG. 5 is a graph of MSP-specific antibody response induced by immunization with the chimeric rPyMSP-1/8. BALB/cByJ mice (n=5) were immunized and boosted twice with rPyMSP-8 or the chimeric rPyMSP-1/8 formulated with Quil A as adjuvant. Serum samples were collected two weeks following the third immunization. Prechallenge antibody titers (mean±SD) against rPyMSP-1₄₂ (

), GST-PyMSP-1₁₉ (

), rPyMSP-8 (

) and GST-PyMSP-8C (

) determined by ELISA are shown. Immunization groups are indicated along the x-axis.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are a series of graphs depicting data from mice immunized with rPyMSP-8 or rPyMSP1/8 and challenged with lethal P. yoelii 17XL. BALB/cByJ mice (n=10) were immunized with rPyMSP-8 (

, 10 μg) or rPyMSP1/8 (

, 14 μg) formulated with Quil A as adjuvant or with Quil A alone (

). Two weeks following the third immunization, mice were challenged with 1×10⁵ P. yoelii 17XL-parasitized erythrocytes. FIG. 6A depicts the percent survival as a function of days post-infection. FIG. 6B depicts the mean % parasitemia as a function of days post-infection. “#D” refers to the number of deceased animals at each time point.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are a series of graphs depicting data from mice immunized with rPyMSP-8 or rPyMSP1/8 and challenged with a nonlethal, reticulocyte-restricted P. yoelii 17X strain. BALB/cByJ mice (n=10) were immunized with rPyMSP-8 (

, 10 μg) or rPyMSP1/8 (

, 14 μg) formulated with Quil A as adjuvant or with Quil A alone (

). Two weeks following the third immunization, mice were challenged with non-lethal, reticulocyte-restricted 17X strain of P. yoelii. FIG. 7A depicts the percent survival as a function of days post-infection. FIG. 7B depicts the mean % parasitemia as a function of days post-infection.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are a series of graphs depicting data from mice immunized with rPyMSP1/8 and challenged with P. yoelii 17XL parasitized erythrocytes. FIG. 8A depicts data from BALB/cByJ mice immunized with rPyMSP1/8 (

, 14 μg) formulated with Quil A as adjuvant or with Quil A alone (

). Two weeks following the third immunization, mice were challenged with 1×10⁵ P. yoelii 17XL parasitized erythrocytes and parasitemia monitored (primary challenge; left panel). Following parasite clearance, rPyMSP-1/8 immunized mice were rested and rechallenged (day 106) with 1×10⁵ P. yoelii 17XL parasitized erythrocytes and parasitemia again monitored (secondary challenge; right panel). FIG. 8B depicts data from BALB/cByJ mice were immunized with rPyMSP1/8 (

, 14 μg) formulated with Quil A as adjuvant or with Quil A alone (

). Approximately 4 months (17 weeks) following the third immunization, mice were challenged with 1×10⁵ P. yoelii 17XL parasitized erythrocytes and parasitemia monitored. The control group in FIG. 8A (secondary challenge) and in FIG. 8B are the same set of Quil A immunized mice.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are a series of graphs depicting data relating to conformational epitopes of rPyMSP vaccine antigens. Specific antibodies were removed from rPyMSP-1/8 specific immune sera by immuno-affinity chromatography. Serial dilutions of unabsorbed (solid lines and solid symbols) and absorbed (broken lines and hollow symbols) sera were analyzed by ELISA on wells coated with rPyMSP-1/8 (

,

) rPyMSP-8 (

,

), rPyMSP-1₄₂ (

,

) or GST-PyMSP-1₁₉ (

,

). FIG. 9A depicts data obtained using rPyMSP-8 and GST-rPyMSP-1₁₉ specific antibodies. FIG. 9B depicts data obtained using rPyMSP-8 and rPyMSP-1₄₂ specific antibodies.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a composition of matter comprising merozoite surface protein-8 (MSP-8) linked to an antigen. Preferentially, the antigen is from a pathogen of an animal, including antigens from malaria parasites including, but not limited to, P. yoelii, P. falciparum and P. vivax. Advantageously, the composition of matter enhances the immune response of a host to the antigen. As shown herein, a composition comprising MSP-8 linked to an antigen enhances the immunogenicity of the antigen in a mammal immunized with the composition. MSP-8 fused to an antigen better enables antibody-mediated immunity as compared to the antigen alone. As shown herein, immunization using a molecule comprising P. yoelli MSP-8 (PyMSP-8) covalently linked via amide bonds to P. yoelii MSP-1₁₉ (PyMSP-1₁₉) induced an immune response sufficient to protect the immunized organism against lethal P. yoelli challenge, provide quick suppression after a challenge infection and minimize parasitemia, in contrast to immunization with PyMSP-1₁₉ alone. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that a composition comprising MSP-8 linked to an antigen facilitates the induction of an immune response against the antigen when delivered to the bloodstream of the animal because MSP-8 induces CD4⁺ T cell responses that promote production of antibodies to the linked antigen. When the antigen comprises an immunogenic epitope of a pathogen, the immune response provoked by administration of the composition can thereafter inhibit or prevent pathology caused by the pathogen in the animal. In a preferred embodiment, the antigen is MSP-1₁₉, preferably P. falciparum or P. vivax MSP-1₁₉.

Thus, the invention provides a composition comprising MSP-8 linked to an antigen, which is useful, for instance, as a vaccine, and a method of using the composition to induce an immune response against the antigen in a vertebrate. In a preferred embodiment of the composition, MSP-8 is covalently linked to the antigen.

The invention also provides an isolated nucleic acid encoding a fusion protein comprising MSP-8 covalently linked to a polypeptide antigen. The invention further provides an antibody that specifically binds to a composition comprising MSP-8 covalently linked via amide bonds to MSP-1₁₉. Kits are also provided.

DEFINITIONS

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein generally have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Generally, the nomenclature used herein and the laboratory procedures in immunology, cell culture, molecular genetics, organic chemistry, and nucleic acid chemistry and hybridization are those well known and commonly employed in the art.

The techniques and procedures for recombinant manipulations, including nucleic acid and peptide synthesis, are generally performed according to conventional methods in the art and various general references (e.g., Sambrook et al, 2001, Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Approach, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.; Ausubel et al., eds, 2005, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley & Sons, New York, N.Y.; and Gerhardt et al., eds., 1994, Methods for General and Molecular Bacteriology, American Society for Microbiology, Washington, D.C.), which are provided throughout this document.

As used herein, each of the following terms has the meaning associated with it in this section.

The articles “a” and “an” are used herein to refer to one or to more than one (i.e., to at least one) of the grammatical object of the article. By way of example, “an element” means one element or more than one element.

The term “about” will be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art and will vary to some extent on the context in which it is used.

The term “antibody,” as used herein, refers to an immunoglobulin molecule which is able to specifically bind to a specific epitope on an antigen. Antibodies can be intact immunoglobulins derived from natural sources or from recombinant sources and can be immunoreactive portions of intact immunoglobulins. The antibodies in the present invention may exist in a variety of forms including, for example, polyclonal antibodies, monoclonal antibodies, intracellular antibodies (“intrabodies”), Fv, Fab and F(ab)₂, as well as single chain antibodies (scFv), camelid antibodies and humanized antibodies (Harlow et al., 1999, Using Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, NY; Harlow et al., 1989, Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.; Houston et al., 1988, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:5879-5883; Bird et al., 1988, Science 242:423-426). As used herein, a “neutralizing antibody” is an immunoglobulin molecule that binds to and blocks the biological activity of the antigen.

By the term “synthetic antibody” as used herein, is meant an antibody which is generated using recombinant DNA technology, such as, for example, an antibody expressed by a bacteriophage as described herein. The term should also be construed to mean an antibody which has been generated by the synthesis of a DNA molecule encoding the antibody and which DNA molecule expresses an antibody protein, or an amino acid sequence specifying the antibody, wherein the DNA or amino acid sequence has been obtained using synthetic DNA or amino acid sequence technology which is available and well known in the art.

“Antigen” as used herein refers to any substance capable of eliciting an immune response, but specifically excludes peptide sequences consisting essentially of 6His, glutathione-S-transferase (GST) or MGSSHHHHHHSSGLVPRGSHM (SEQ ID NO: 13; the 21 amino acid sequence from the pET vector that includes 6His). Thus, a fusion protein consisting of SEQ ID NO: 13 fused to MSP-8 is excluded from the invention. Non-limiting examples of an antigen include polypeptides, bacteria, viruses, nucleic acid, polysaccharides, such as carbohydrates, lipids, small molecule haptens and the like.

“Effective amount” as used herein with regard to an antigen refers to a nontoxic amount of an antigen suitable to stimulate a cellular and/or humoral immune response to the antigen.

As used herein “endogenous” refers to any material produced within or originating inside an organism.

“Exogenous” refers to any material introduced into or produced outside an organism.

As used herein, “expression cassette” refers to a nucleic acid molecule comprising a coding sequence operably linked to promoter/regulatory sequences necessary for transcription and translation of the coding sequence. An expression cassette encoding a desired nucleic acid sequence does not include translation sequences.

“Homologous” as used herein, refers to the subunit sequence similarity between two polymeric molecules, e.g., between two nucleic acid molecules, e.g., two DNA molecules or two RNA molecules, or between two polypeptide molecules. When a subunit position in both of the two molecules is occupied by the same monomeric subunit, e.g., if a position in each of two DNA molecules is occupied by adenine, then they are homologous at that position. The homology between two sequences is a direct function of the number of matching or homologous positions, e.g., if half (e.g., five positions in a polymer ten subunits in length) of the positions in two compound sequences are homologous then the two sequences are 50% homologous, if 90% of the positions, e.g., 9 of 10, are matched or homologous, the two sequences share 90% homology. By way of example, the DNA sequences 3′ATTGCC5′ and 3′TATGGC5′ share 50% homology.

As used herein, “homology” is used synonymously with “identity.”

“Linked” refers to noncovalent or covalent bonding between two or more molecules. Linking may be direct or indirect. Two molecules are indirectly linked when the two molecules are linked via an intervening molecule. For instance, molecules linked using a crosslinking reagent are indirectly linked to each other. Similarly, two biotinylated molecules bound to a common avidin moiety are indirectly linked. Two molecules are directly linked when there is no intervening molecule linking them.

“Naturally-occurring” as applied to an object refers to the fact that the object can be found in nature. For example, a polypeptide or polynucleotide sequence that is present in an organism (including viruses) that can be isolated from a source in nature and which has not been intentionally modified by man is naturally occurring.

“Pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” refers herein to a composition suitable for delivering the inventive composition to a subject without excessive toxicity or other complications while maintaining the biological activity of the molecule. Protein-stabilizing excipients, such as mannitol, sucrose, polysorbate-80 and phosphate buffers, are typically found in such carriers, although the carriers should not be construed as being limited only to these compounds.

As used herein, the term “physiologically acceptable” ester or salt means an ester or salt form of an active ingredient in a pharmaceutical composition which is compatible with any other ingredients of the pharmaceutical composition and which is not deleterious to the subject to which the composition is to be administered.

A “polynucleotide” means a single strand or parallel and anti-parallel strands of a nucleic acid. Thus, a polynucleotide may be either a single-stranded or a double-stranded nucleic acid.

The term “nucleic acid” typically refers to large polynucleotides.

The term “oligonucleotide” typically refers to short polynucleotides, generally no greater than about 50 nucleotides. It will be understood that when a nucleotide sequence is represented by a DNA sequence (i.e., A, T, G, C), this also includes an RNA sequence (i.e., A, U, G, C) in which “U” replaces “T.”

Conventional notation is used herein to describe polynucleotide sequences: the left-hand end of a single-stranded polynucleotide sequence is the 5′-end; the left-hand direction of a double-stranded polynucleotide sequence is referred to as the 5′-direction.

The direction of 5′ to 3′ addition of nucleotides to nascent RNA transcripts is referred to as the transcription direction. The DNA strand having the same sequence as an mRNA is referred to as the “coding strand”; sequences on the DNA strand which are located 5′ to a reference point on the DNA are referred to as “upstream sequences”; sequences on the DNA strand which are 3′ to a reference point on the DNA are referred to as “downstream sequences.”

By describing two polynucleotides as “operably linked” is meant that a single-stranded or double-stranded nucleic acid moiety comprises the two polynucleotides arranged within the nucleic acid moiety in such a manner that at least one of the two polynucleotides is able to exert a physiological effect by which it is characterized upon the other. By way of example, a promoter operably linked to the coding region of a gene is able to promote transcription of the coding region.

“Polypeptide” refers to a polymer composed of amino acid residues, related naturally-occurring, structural variants, and synthetic, non-naturally-occurring analogs thereof linked via peptide bonds. Synthetic polypeptides can be synthesized, for example, using an automated polypeptide synthesizer.

The term “protein” typically refers to large polypeptides.

The term “peptide” typically refers to short polypeptides.

Conventional notation is used herein to portray polypeptide sequences: the left-hand end of a polypeptide sequence is the amino-terminus; the right-hand end of a polypeptide sequence is the carboxyl-terminus.

“Specifically bind” as used herein refers to the higher affinity of a binding molecule for a target molecule compared to the binding molecule's affinity for non-target molecules. A binding molecule that specifically binds a target molecule does not substantially recognize or bind non-target molecules.

As used herein, the term “promoter/regulatory sequence” means a nucleic acid sequence which is required for expression of a gene product operably linked to the promoter/regulator sequence. In some instances, this sequence may be the core promoter sequence and in other instances, this sequence may also include an enhancer sequence and other regulatory elements which are required for expression of the gene product. The promoter/regulatory sequence may, for example, be one which expresses the gene product in a tissue specific manner.

A “constitutive promoter” is a promoter which drives expression of a gene to which it is operably linked, in a constant manner in a cell. By way of example, promoters which drive expression of cellular housekeeping genes are considered to be constitutive promoters.

An “inducible” promoter is a nucleotide sequence which, when operably linked with a polynucleotide which encodes or specifies a gene product, causes the gene product to be produced in a living cell substantially only when an inducer which corresponds to the promoter is present in the cell.

A “tissue-specific” promoter is a nucleotide sequence which, when operably linked with a polynucleotide which encodes or specifies a gene product, causes the gene product to be produced in a living cell substantially only if the cell is a cell of the tissue type corresponding to the promoter.

The term “substantially pure” describes a compound, e.g., a protein or polypeptide which has been separated from components which naturally accompany it. Typically, a compound is substantially pure when at least 10%, more preferably at least 20%, more preferably at least 50%, more preferably at least 60%, more preferably at least 75%, more preferably at least 90%, and most preferably at least 99% of the total material (by volume, by wet or dry weight, or by mole percent or mole fraction) in a sample is the compound of interest. Purity can be measured by any appropriate method, e.g., in the case of polypeptides by column chromatography, gel electrophoresis or HPLC analysis. A compound, e.g., a protein, is also substantially purified when it is essentially free of naturally associated components or when it is separated from the native contaminants which accompany it in its natural state.

A host cell that comprises a recombinant polynucleotide is referred to as a “recombinant host cell.” A gene which is expressed in a recombinant host cell wherein the gene comprises a recombinant polynucleotide, produces a “recombinant polypeptide.”

“Recombinant polynucleotide” refers to a polynucleotide having sequences that are not naturally joined together. An amplified or assembled recombinant polynucleotide may be included in a suitable vector, and the vector can be used to transform a suitable host cell. A recombinant polynucleotide may serve a non-coding function (e.g., promoter, origin of replication, ribosome-binding site, etc.) as well.

A “recombinant polypeptide” is one which is produced upon expression of a recombinant polynucleotide.

“Treating” as used herein means ameliorating the effects of, or delaying, halting or reversing the progress of a condition. The word encompasses reducing the severity of a symptom of a condition and/or the frequency of a symptom of a medical condition.

By the term “applicator,” as the term is used herein, is meant any device including, but not limited to, a hypodermic syringe, a pipette, and the like, for administering the compounds and compositions of the invention.

“Instructional material,” as that term is used herein, includes a publication, a recording, a diagram, or any other medium of expression which can be used to communicate the usefulness of the composition and/or compound of the invention in a kit. The instructional material of the kit may, for example, be affixed to a container that contains the compound and/or composition of the invention or be shipped together with a container which contains the compound and/or composition. Alternatively, the instructional material may be shipped separately from the container with the intention that the recipient uses the instructional material and the compound cooperatively. Delivery of the instructional material may be, for example, by physical delivery of the publication or other medium of expression communicating the usefulness of the kit, or may alternatively be achieved by electronic transmission, for example by means of a computer, such as by electronic mail, or download from a website.

As used herein, an “oily” liquid is one which comprises a carbon-containing liquid molecule and which exhibits a less polar character than water.

By the term “vaccine,” as used herein, is meant a composition comprising an antigen which, when inoculated into a mammal, has the effect of stimulating a cellular immune response comprising a T-cell response or a humoral immune response comprising a B-cell response generally resulting in antibody production. The T cell response may be a cytotoxic T-cell response directed against an organism that expresses the antigen. However, the induction of a T-cell response comprising other types of T cells by the vaccine of the invention is also contemplated. A B-cell response results in the production of antibody that binds to the antigen. The vaccine may serve to elicit an immune response in the mammal which serves to protect the mammal against a disease.

By the term “immunizing a human against an antigen” is meant administering to the human a composition, a protein complex, a DNA encoding a protein complex, an antibody or a DNA encoding an antibody, which elicits an immune response in the human, which immune response provides protection to the human against a disease caused by the antigen or an organism which expresses the antigen.

It is understood that any and all whole or partial integers between any ranges set forth herein are included herein.

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a composition comprising merozoite surface protein-8 (MSP-8) linked to an antigen and methods of using the composition to induce an immune response against the antigen. In preferred embodiments, the presence of MSP-8 in the composition enhances the immunogenicity of the linked antigen.

MSP-8

MSP-8 is a surface protein found in Plasmodium merozoites and trophozoites, including P. yoelii, P. falciparum and P. vivax. Naturally-occurring MSP-8 protein is expressed with an N-terminal signal sequence and a C-terminal hydrophobic membrane-anchor sequence. MSP-8 contains two, cysteine-rich EGF-like domains in its C-terminal. Any naturally-occurring MSP-8 sequence may be used in the composition of the invention. Preferably, the sequence is the mature, full-length MSP-8 sequence and therefore does not include the N-terminal signal sequence (N-terminal-most sequence of about 22 amino acids) or the C-terminal hydrophobic membrane-anchor sequence (C-terminal-most sequence of about 21 amino acids). Preferably, the MSP-8 component of the composition of the invention comprises its naturally-occurring disulfide bonds.

Numerous MSP-8 genes are known in the art. The nucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence of an exemplary P. yoelii isolate 17XL MSP-8 are available as GenBank® Accession Nos. AY005132 (SEQ ID NO. 1) and AAG02279 (SEQ ID No. 2), respectively, each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The nucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence of exemplary P. falciparum isolate NF7 MSP-8 are available as GenBank® Accession Nos. AF325156 (SEQ ID NO. 3) and AAK63225 (SEQ ID No. 4), respectively, each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. MSP-8 genes have been cloned from other isolates of P. falciparum (D10, K1, AA01, ItG2 and FVO) and include nucleotide sequences having GenBank® Accession Nos. AF325157, AF325158, AF325159, AF325160 and AF325161, respectively, and the corresponding amino acid sequences AAK63226, AAK63227, AAK63228, AAK63229 and AAK63230, all of which are incorporated herein in their entirety. The nucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence of an exemplary P. vivax MSP-8 are available as GenBank® Accession NO. AY743238 (SEQ ID NO. 5) and AAW59434 (SEQ ID NO. 6), each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. MSP-8 homologs are also present in the genome sequences of P. knowlesi, P. berghei and P. chabaudi (see http://www.(dot)PlasmoDB(dot)org; Bahl et al., 2003, Nucleic Acids Res. 31(1): 212-215). MSP-8 is highly conserved throughout its protein sequence (Black et al., 2001, Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 114:217-226; Perez-Leal et al., 2004, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 324:1393-1399).

MSP-8 from P. falciparum comprises an about 170 amino acid N-terminal domain, characterized by tracts of asparagine and aspartic acid (see, for instance, amino acids about 51 to about 225 of SEQ ID NO. 4), which is not present in MSP-8 of P. yoelii, P. vivax, P. knowlesi and P. berghei. In one embodiment of the invention, the molecule of the invention comprises about residue 24 to about residue 583 of SEQ ID NO. 4, thereby including the Asn/Asp domain. In another embodiment, the molecule of the invention comprises about residue 225 to about residue 583 of SEQ ID NO. 4.

Substantially homologous sequences to MSP-8 may also be used in the composition of the invention. Substantially homologous sequences to MSP-8 sequences are those which exhibit at least about 85% homology, usually at least about 90%, and preferably at least about 95% homology with a reference MSP-8 sequence. In one embodiment, the reference MSP-8 sequence is SEQ ID NO. 2. In another embodiment, the reference MSP-8 sequence is SEQ ID NO. 4. In another embodiment, the reference MSP-8 sequence is SEQ ID NO. 6.

The determination of percent identity between two nucleotide or amino acid sequences can be accomplished using a mathematical algorithm. For example, a mathematical algorithm useful for comparing two sequences is the algorithm of Karlin and Altschul (1990, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:2264-2268), modified as in Karlin and Altschul (1993, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:5873-5877). This algorithm is incorporated into the NBLAST and XBLAST programs of Altschul, et al. (1990, J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410), and can be accessed, for example, at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) world wide web site having the universal resource locator “http://www(dot)ncbi(dot)nlm(dot)nlm(dot)nih(dot)gov/BLAST/.” BLAST nucleotide searches can be performed with the NBLAST program (designated “blastn” at the NCBI web site), using the following parameters: gap penalty=5; gap extension penalty=2; mismatch penalty=3; match reward=1; expectation value 10.0; and word size=11 to obtain nucleotide sequences homologous to a nucleic acid described herein. BLAST protein searches can be performed with the XBLAST program (designated “blastn” at the NCBI web site) or the NCBI “blastp” program, using the following parameters: expectation value 10.0, BLOSUM62 scoring matrix to obtain amino acid sequences homologous to a protein molecule described herein. To obtain gapped alignments for comparison purposes, Gapped BLAST can be utilized as described in Altschul et al. (1997, Nucleic Acids Res. 25:3389-3402). Alternatively, PSI-Blast or PHI-Blast can be used to perform an iterated search which detects distant relationships between molecules (Id.) and relationships between molecules which share a common pattern. When utilizing BLAST, Gapped BLAST, PSI-Blast, and PHI-Blast programs, the default parameters of the respective programs (e.g., XBLAST and NBLAST) can be used. See http://www.(dot)ncbi(dot)nlm(dot)nih(dot)gov.

The percent identity between two sequences can be determined using techniques similar to those described above, with or without allowing gaps. In calculating percent identity, typically exact matches are counted.

Naturally-occurring homologs of these sequences are also useful in the invention. Similarly, neutral sequence variants of these sequences, based on the degeneracy of the genetic code, are also useful. Variants comprising conservative amino acid changes may be made, which although they alter the primary sequence of the protein or peptide, do not normally alter its tertiary structure or function. Conservative amino acid substitutions typically include substitutions within the following groups: glycine and alanine; valine, isoleucine, and leucine; aspartic acid and glutamic acid; asparagines and glutamine; serine and threonine; lysine and arginine; phenylalanine and tyrosine.

Antigens

Suitable antigens that can be linked to MSP-8 to prepare a composition of the invention include polypeptides, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, such as carbohydrates, lipids (such as membrane lipids, e.g., phospholipids), particles of organic or inorganic materials (for example, ceramic particles), small organic or inorganic chemical compounds (tetrafluoroethylene polymers, chitosans). In preferred embodiments, the antigen is a polypeptide.

The antigen may be from a pathogen. Non-limiting examples of pathogens include, but are not limited to, Plasmodium, Leishmania, Toxoplasma, Mycobacterium and Clostridium. In a preferred embodiment, the pathogen is Plasmodium. In one embodiment, the antigen is a polypeptide that comprises an immunogenic epitope selected from MSP-1, MSP-3, AMA-1 or CSP. The nucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence of an exemplary P. yoelii MSP-1 are available as GenBank® Accession Nos. J04668 (SEQ ID NO. 7) and AAA29702 (SEQ ID NO. 8), respectively, incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The nucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence of an exemplary P. falciparum MSP-1 are available as GenBank® Accession Nos. X03371 (SEQ ID NO. 9) and CAA27070 (SEQ ID NO. 10), respectively, incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The nucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence of an exemplary P. vivax MSP-1 are available as GenBank® Accession Nos. AF435593 (SEQ ID NO. 11) and AAN86207 (SEQ ID NO. 12), respectively, incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Sequences for other Plasmodium antigens in the art, or readily determined by the skilled artisan using conventional methods in the art.

In a preferred embodiment, the antigen is MSP-1₁₉. Any naturally-occurring MSP-1₁₉ domain may be used as an antigen in the molecule of the invention. In one embodiment, the MSP-1₁₉ domain comprises about amino acids 1517 to 1612 of SEQ ID NO. 10. In one embodiment, the composition comprises about amino acids 1517 to 1612 of SEQ ID NO: 10, or a substantially homologous sequence, linked to about amino acids 24-583 of SEQ ID NO: 4, or a substantially homologous sequence. In another embodiment, the composition comprises about amino acids 1517 to 1612 of SEQ ID NO: 10, or a substantially homologous sequence, linked to about amino acids 225-583 of SEQ ID NO: 4, or a substantially homologous sequence. In these embodiments, the composition is preferably a fusion protein. The fusion protein optionally includes spacer intervening between the antigen and MSP-8 sequences.

Substantially homologous sequences to MSP-1₁₉ may also be used in the composition of the invention. Substantially homologous sequences to MSP-1₁₉ sequences are those which exhibit at least about 85% homology, usually at least about 90%, and preferably at least about 95% homology with a reference MSP-1₁₉ protein. In one embodiment, the reference MSP-1₁₉ sequence is amino acids 1619 to 1756 of SEQ ID NO. 8. In another embodiment, the reference MSP-1₁₉ sequence is amino acids 1517 to 1612 of SEQ ID NO. 10. Naturally-occurring homologs of these sequences are also useful in the invention. Similarly, neutral sequence variants of these sequences, based on the degeneracy of the genetic code, are also useful, as are variants with conservative amino acid substitutions.

In another embodiment, the antigen in a molecule of the invention is a tumor-associated antigen. Various tumor-associated antigens have been identified. Further, much research effort is being expended to identify additional tumor associated antigens. Some groups of tumor-associated antigens, also referred to in the art as tumor-specific antigens, are tissue specific. Examples include, but are not limited to, tyrosinase for melanoma, PSA and PSMA for prostate cancer and chromosomal cross-overs such as bcr/abl in lymphoma. However, many tumor-associated antigens identified occur in multiple tumor types, and some, such as oncogenic proteins which actually cause the transformation event, occur in nearly all tumor types. For example, normal cellular proteins that control cell growth and differentiation, such as p53 and HER-2/neu, can accumulate mutations resulting in upregulation of expression of these gene products, thereby making them oncogenic (McCartey et al., 1998, Cancer Research 15:58 2601-5; Disis et al., 1994, Ciba Found. Symp. 187:198-211). These mutant proteins can be the target of a tumor-specific immune response in multiple types of cancer. Transforming proteins from oncogenic viruses such as E6 and E7 from HPV or EBNA1 from Epstein Barr virus (EBV) also occur in many tumor types and can be the target of a tumor specific immune response in multiple types of cancer (McKaig et al., 1998, Head Neck 20(3):250-65; Punwaney et al., 1999, Head Neck 21(1):21-9; Serth et al., 1999, Cancer Res. 15:59(4):823-5; Pagano, 1999, Proc. Assoc. Am. Physicians 111(6):573-80). Non-oncogenic host proteins such as MAGE and MUC family are also ubiquitous. Specifically, the MAGE family of antigens have been found in many different cancers including breast cancer, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, hepatic cancer, thyroid cancer, neuroblastoma, gastric cancer, multiple myeloma and melanoma (Gillespie et al., 1999, Cancer Treat. Rev. 25(4):219-27). The MUC family of antigens has been associated with ovarian and endometrial cancer, breast cancer, multiple myeloma, pancreatic cancer, and colon and rectal cancer (Segal-Eiras et al., 1997, Allergol. Immunopathol. 25(4):176-81). As will be obvious to those of skill in the art upon this disclosure, the invention is also applicable to other tumor associated antigens not specifically listed herein.

Polypeptides and nucleic acids useful in the composition of the invention may be obtained by standard methods known to the skilled artisan. Methods include in vitro peptide synthesis, in vitro oligonucleotide synthesis and biological means. Biological means includes purification from a biological source, in vitro transcription and/or translation synthesis and recombinant synthesis using a recombinant host cell. DNA and amino acid sequences are available for many nucleic acid and polypeptide antigens useful in the molecule of the invention and are readily obtained by the skilled artisan from publicly-available databases, such as GenBank® (United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda Md.).

Merrifield-type solid phase peptide synthesis may be routinely performed to yield peptides up to about 60-70 residues in length, and may, in some cases, be utilized to make peptides up to about 100 amino acids long. Larger peptides may also be generated synthetically via fragment condensation or native chemical ligation (Dawson et al., 2000, Ann. Rev. Biochem. 69:923-60). A great advantage to the utilization of a synthetic peptide route is the ability to produce large amounts of peptides, even those that rarely occur naturally, with relatively high purities, i.e., purities sufficient for research, diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.

Examples of solid phase peptide synthesis methods include the BOC method, which utilizes tert-butyloxcarbonyl as the α-amino protecting group, and the FMOC method, which utilizes 9-fluorenylmethyloxcarbonyl to protect the α-amino of the amino acid residues, both which methods are well-known by those of skill in the art.

Incorporation of N- and/or C-blocking groups may also be achieved using protocols conventional to solid phase peptide synthesis methods. For incorporation of C-terminal blocking groups, for example, synthesis of the desired peptide is typically performed using, as solid phase, a supporting resin that has been chemically modified so that cleavage from the resin results in a peptide having the desired C-terminal blocking group. To provide peptides in which the C-terminus bears a primary amino blocking group, for instance, synthesis is performed using a p-methylbenzhydrylamine (MBHA) resin, so that, when peptide synthesis is completed, treatment with hydrofluoric acid releases the desired C-terminally amidated peptide. Similarly, incorporation of an N-methylamine blocking group at the C-terminus is achieved using N-methylaminoethyl-derivatized DVB, resin, which upon HF treatment releases a peptide bearing an N-methylamidated C-terminus. Blockage of the C-terminus by esterification can also be achieved using conventional procedures. This entails use of resin/blocking group combination that permits release of side-chain peptide from the resin, to allow for subsequent reaction with the desired alcohol, to form the ester function. FMOC protecting group, in combination with DVB resin derivatized with methoxyalkoxybenzyl alcohol or equivalent linker, can be used for this purpose, with cleavage from the support being effected by TFA in dicholoromethane. Esterification of the suitably activated carboxyl function, e.g. with DCC, can then proceed by addition of the desired alcohol, followed by de-protection and isolation of the esterified peptide product.

Incorporation of N-terminal blocking groups may be achieved while the synthesized peptide is still attached to the resin, for instance by treatment with a suitable anhydride and nitrile. To incorporate an acetyl blocking group at the N-terminus, for instance, the resin-coupled peptide can be treated with 20% acetic anhydride in acetonitrile. The N-blocked peptide product may then be cleaved from the resin, de-protected and subsequently isolated.

Biological preparation of MSP-8 or an antigen may include purification from a cell, tissue or organism that comprises the desired component. For instance, a naturally-occurring source of MSP-8 is merozoites obtained from erythrocytes infected with, for instance, P. falciparum. The preferred stage for isolating MSP-8 is the trophozoite stage. Preferably the MSP-8 is the full-length, mature polypeptide. Biological preparation also includes expression of a gene or coding sequence for the nucleic acid and/or protein components in a recombinant host cell, an in vitro transcription, or an in vitro translation system. DNA sequences for MSP-8 and MSP-1 from numerous isolates of several Plasmodium species are known in the art, and exemplary sequences for both are provided elsewhere herein.

Vectors for expression cassettes and methods for the introduction of exogenous DNA into cells with concomitant expression of the exogenous DNA in the cells are described, for example, in Sambrook et al., supra, 2001; Ausubel et al., supra, 2005. Techniques for introducing vectors into target cells include, but are not limited to, electroporation, photoporation, calcium precipitation, fusion, transfection, lipofection, viral targeting and the like.

Any expression vector compatible with the expression of a polypeptide in a host cell is suitable for use in the instant invention, and can be selected from the group consisting of a plasmid DNA, a viral vector, and a mammalian vector. Vectors may be episomal, or may be provided for integration into the target cell genome via homologous recombination or random integration. Viral vectors useful in the methods of the invention include, but are not limited to, cytomegalovirus vectors, adenovirus vectors and retrovirus vectors, such as MigRI, MMLC, HIV-2 and ALV.

The vector comprising the expression cassette, or a vector that is co-introduced with the expression vector, can comprise a marker gene. Marker genes are useful, for instance, to monitor transfection efficiencies. Marker genes include genes for selectable markers, including, but not limited to, G418, hygromycin, and methotrexate, and genes for detectable markers, including, but not limited to, luciferase and GFP.

The coding sequence contained in an expression cassette may, optionally, be fused in-frame to other coding sequences. For instance, the coding sequence of an detectable tag or purification tag may be included. Such tags are useful, for instance, to assist in the rapid purification of the encoded polypeptide or variant thereof. An example of such a tag is a 6-His sequence. The fusion may be at either the N-terminal or the C-terminal of a polypeptide, provided the immunogenicity of the molecule is maintained. Such tags may be removed from the purified fusion polypeptide by engineering an intervening cleavage site between the tag and the other coding sequence. Thrombin is a useful cleavage agent for this purpose. Commercial products, such as TAGZyme (Qiagen® Inc., Valencia, Calif.), are available as well.

In the context of an expression vector, the vector may be readily introduced into a suitable host cell, e.g., mammalian, bacterial, yeast or insect cell, by any method in the art. For example, the expression vector can be transferred into a host cell by physical, chemical or biological means.

Physical methods for introducing a polynucleotide into a host cell include calcium phosphate precipitation, lipofection, particle bombardment, microinjection, electroporation, and the like. Methods for producing cells comprising vectors and/or exogenous nucleic acids are well-known in the art. See, for example, Sambrook et al., supra, 2001 and Ausubel et al., supra, 2005.

Biological methods for introducing a polynucleotide of interest into a host cell include the use of DNA and RNA vectors. Viral vectors, and especially retroviral vectors, have become the most widely used method for inserting genes into mammalian, e.g., human cells. Other viral vectors can be derived from lentivirus, poxviruses, herpes simplex virus I, adenoviruses and adeno-associated viruses, and the like. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,350,674 and 5,585,362.

Chemical means for introducing a polynucleotide into a host cell include colloidal dispersion systems, such as macromolecule complexes, nanocapsules, microspheres, beads, and lipid-based systems including oil-in-water emulsions, micelles, mixed micelles, and liposomes. A preferred colloidal system for use as a delivery vehicle in vitro and in vivo is a liposome (i.e., an artificial membrane vesicle). The preparation and use of such systems are well known in the art.

To ensure that the polypeptide obtained from either chemical or biological synthetic techniques is the desired polypeptide, analysis of the polypeptide composition may be conducted. Such amino acid composition analysis may be conducted using high resolution mass spectrometry to determine the molecular weight of the peptide. Alternatively, or additionally, the amino acid content of the peptide may be confirmed by hydrolyzing the peptide in aqueous acid, and separating, identifying and quantifying the components of the mixture using HPLC or an amino acid analyzer. Protein sequenators, which sequentially degrade the peptide and identify the amino acids in order, may also be used to definitively determine the sequence of the peptide. One of skill in the art is familiar with conventional methods for analyzing a nucleic acid antigen and other types of antigens.

Prior to use in the compositions and methods of the invention, polypeptides or other molecules are optionally purified to remove contaminants. Any one of a number of a conventional purification procedures may be used to attain the required level of purity including, for example, reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) using an alkylated silica column, such as C₄-, C₈- or C₁₈-silica, or variations thereof. A gradient mobile phase of increasing organic content is generally used to achieve purification, for example, acetonitrile in an aqueous buffer, usually containing a small amount of trifluoroacetic acid. Ion-exchange chromatography may be also used to separate polypeptides based on their charge. Gel filtration chromatography may be used to separate polypeptides, nucleic acids and other types of antigens based on their size.

Substantially pure protein obtained as described herein may be purified by following known procedures for protein purification, wherein an immunological, enzymatic or other assay is used to monitor purification at each stage in the procedure. Protein purification methods are well known in the art, and are described, for example in Deutscher et al. (ed., 1990, Guide to Protein Purification, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, San Diego).

Polypeptides and nucleic acids used in the composition of the invention may be modified using ordinary molecular biological techniques to improve their resistance to proteolytic degradation or to optimize solubility properties or to render them more suitable as a vaccine or immunogen. Analogs of such polypeptides include those containing residues other than naturally occurring L-amino acids, e.g., D-amino acids or non-naturally occurring synthetic amino acids. The polypeptides useful in the invention may further be conjugated to non-amino acid moieties that are useful in their applications. In particular, moieties that improve the stability, biological half-life, water solubility, and immunologic characteristics of the peptide are useful.

Antigens which are not nucleic acids or polypeptides may also be obtained by conventional methods known in the art. Such antigens may be purified from a naturally-occurring source or synthesized biologically (e.g, enzymatic production in vitro or using recombinantly-engineered organisms) or chemically (e.g., organic synthesis). Purification methods include, but are not limited to, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, high pressure liquid chromatography, and the like. For instance, carbohydrates may be prepared by enzymatic synthesis. Alternatively, they may be prepared by degradation of naturally-occurring oligosaccharides. Methods used in analytical chemistry and organic syntheses are well known commonly employed in the art. Standard techniques or modifications thereof, may be used for chemical syntheses and chemical analyses.

Preparing a Composition of the Invention

To prepare a composition of the invention, an antigen is linked to MSP-8. The precise chemistry or method used to link the antigen and MSP-8 is not critical, provided the resulting composition retains immunogenicity. The linkage must merely be sufficiently strong or resilient such that MSP-8 does not dissociate from the antigen upon administration to the bloodsytem of an animal to be immunized. The antigen and MSP-8 may be linked by a covalent bond, such as, for example, a peptide bond. However, strong non-covalent linkage can also be used. The MSP-8 and the antigen can be made separately and thereafter linked, or they can be made essentially simultaneously, for instance, by expression of a recombinant polynucleotide encoding a fusion protein comprising an antigen and MSP-8.

The MSP-8 and antigen moieties of the composition may be linked directly together, may be linked indirectly together, or combinations thereof. Linkage may be covalent bonding or non-covalent bonding. For example, in an embodiment, MSP-8 and an antigen are linked directly together by covalent bonds. In one aspect, the antigen is a polypeptide and the covalent bonds are amide bonds. In another embodiment, the components are indirectly linked together by linking the individual components to a common molecule, such as a spacer or linker.

The nature of the spacer or linker may vary. In some embodiments, the spacer is a peptide spacer. Peptide linkers useful in the molecule of the invention include, but are not limited to, glycine linkers, glycine-rich linkers, serine-glycine linkers, and the like. A glycine-rich linker comprises at least about 50% glycine and preferably at least about 60% glycine. Linkers may be naturally-occurring sequences or designed sequences. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,541,219 for examples of peptide linkers. The skilled artisan is familiar with the design and selection of peptide linkers. See, for instance, Robinson et al., 1998, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95:5929-5934. Automated programs are also available for peptide linker design (e.g., Crasto et al., 2000, Protein Engineering 13:309-312).

An antigen can be linked to either the N-terminal or the C-terminal of MSP-8. In one embodiment, an antigen is linked to the N-terminal of MSP-8. In one embodiment, the linkage is covalent. In another embodiment, linkage is via an intervening molecule. Examples of intervening molecules that can be used as linkers include biotin, avidin, and the like. Linkers of this type may be interposed between the antigen and MSP-8 moieties. For instance, one moiety may be biotinylated and the other moiety may be covalently attached to a streptavidin moiety. In one embodiment, each moiety is biotinylated to enable binding to a common avidin molecule.

In some embodiments, a single antigen is linked to MSP-8. In other embodiments, two or more antigens are linked to single MSP-8 moiety to prepare a composition of the invention.

Covalent attachments useful in the composition include, but are not limited to, standard protein cross-linking chemistries, such as glutaraldehyde activation of amine-functionalized surfaces, trialkoxy aldehyde silanes, DMP (dimethyl pimelimidate), and N-hydroxysuccinimide active ester. Non-limiting examples of non-covalent attachments useful in preparing the composition of the invention include hydrophobic interactions and avidin/biotin systems. Avidin/biotin systems are preferred.

Biotinylation is the process of attaching biotin, or a biotin derivative, to another molecule, for instance an antibody, yielding a biotinylated molecule. Biotinylation as used herein encompasses both chemical conjugation of biotin to a molecule, directly or via a linker molecule, recombinant biotinylation, as well as indirect biotinylation. A moiety may be indirectly labeled by binding it with a biotinylated reagent, provided the biotinylated reagent does not adversely affect the immunogenicity of the molecule of the invention.

Biotinylated linkers are well known in the art and are commercially available. The biotin can be separated by any length linker from the moiety attachment site. Linkers are advantageous in reducing potential interactions between the biotin and the molecule to which it is conjugated, and also enhances biotin binding to the biotin binding sites of avidin, which are relatively deep.

Compounds useful in conjugating a molecule with biotin include, but are not limited to, aliphatic amines, carboxylic acid, DNP-X-biocytin-X, FMOC, hydrazide, iodoacetamide, maleimide, nitriloacetic acid and succinimidyl ester. Biotin, including various spacers, linking groups and the like, and methods of biotinylation are well known to the skilled artisan. See, for example, Savage et al., 1992, Avidin-Biotin Chemistry: A Handbook, Pierce Chemical Company, Rockford, Ill.; Diamandis et al., 1991, Clin. Chem. 37:625-636; DE 3629194; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,709,037, 4,794,082, 4,798,795, 5,180,828, and 5,252,743; and WO 85/05638, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In vivo biotinylation can be accomplished by recombinant methods known in the art. In brief, a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide to be biotinylated is operably linked to a sequence encoding a biotinylation signal, such as Avitag (Beckett et al., 1999, Prot. Sci. 8:921-929) or Biotab (de Boer et al., 2003, PNAS 100:7480-7485). The recombinant nucleic acid is then expressed in a host cell which expresses a biotin ligase (e.g., E. coli Bir A), either endogenously or recombinantly and is cultured in a biotin-containing medium. U.S. Pat. Publication No. 20040033603, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses bicistronic vectors useful in such in vivo biotinylation applications. Alternatively, the recombinant nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide sequence fused to a biotinylation signal is expressed in a host cell in the absence of biotin. The fusion protein is purified and is biotinylated in vitro using isolated biotin ligase. Products for in vivo biotinylation systems are commercially available, for instance, from GeneCopeia and Avidity.

When the antigen of the composition of the invention is a polypeptide, peptide coupling chemistry may be employed to link the antigen to MSP-8 together directly or indirectly by means of a linking agent. The standard peptide coupling chemistry methods and procedures useful in this invention are readily available. Examples of books using these methods include, but are not limited to, the following citations incorporated herein by reference: P. D. Bailey, An Introduction to Peptide Chemistry, Ed.: John Wiley & Sons, 1990; Miklos Bodansky, Peptide Chemistry, A Practical Textbook, Ed.: Springer-Verlag, 1988; Miklos Bodansky, Principles of Peptide Synthesis, “Reactivity and Structure Concepts in Organic Chemistry,” Volume 16, Ed.: Springer-Verlag, 1984; and Miklos Bodansky, Principles of Peptide Synthesis, “Reactivity and Structure Concepts in Organic Chemistry,” Volume 21, Ed.: Springer-Verlag, 1984. See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,340,535 and 5,776,427 and EP 44167, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Cross-linking reagents are used to form molecular bridges that tie together functional groups of two different proteins (e.g., MSP-8 and MSP-1₁₉) or a non-protein moiety and protein moiety. To link two different proteins in a step-wise manner, heterobifunctional cross-linkers can be used, which eliminate the unwanted homopolymer formation. An exemplary heterobifunctional cross-linker contains two reactive groups: one reacting with primary amine group (e.g., N-hydroxy succinimide) and the other reacting with a thiol group (e.g., pyridyl disulfide, maleimides, halogens, etc.). Through the primary amine reactive group, the cross-linker can react with the lysine residue(s) of one protein (e.g., MSP-8) and through the thiol reactive group, the cross-linker, already tied up to the first protein, reacts with the cysteine residue (free sulfhydryl group) of the other protein (e.g., MSP-1₁₉). Useful heterobifunctional crosslinking agents include 4-succinimidyloxycarbonyl-methyl-(2-pyridyldithio)-toluene (SMPT) or N-succinimidyl-3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate (SPDP), both of which can be obtained from Pierce, Rockland, Ill.

SMPT is a bifunctional cross-linker containing a disulfide bond that is “sterically hindered” by an adjacent benzene ring and methyl groups. It is believed that steric hindrance of the disulfide bond serves a function of protecting the bond from attack by thiolate anions, such as glutathione, which can be present in tissues and blood, and thereby help in preventing decoupling of linked moieties. The SMPT cross-linking reagent, as with many other known cross-linking reagents, lends the ability to cross-link functional groups such as the SH of cysteine or primary amines (e.g., the epsilon amino group of lysine). Another possible type of cross-linker includes the heterobifunctional photoreactive phenylazides containing a cleavable disulfide bond such as sulfosuccinimidyl-2-(p-azido salicylamido) ethyl-1,3′-dithiopropionate. The N-hydroxy-succinimidyl group reacts with primary amino groups and the phenylazide (upon photolysis) reacts non-selectively with any amino acid residue.

While numerous types of disulfide-bond containing linkers are known that can successfully be employed to conjugate a moiety to a substrate, certain linkers may generally be preferred over other linkers, based on differing pharmacologic characteristics and capabilities. For example, linkers that contain a disulfide bond that is sterically “hindered” may be preferred, due to their greater stability in vivo. However, non-hindered linkages, such as SATA and 2-iminothiolane, may also be used. Other crosslinkers, including trifunctional crosslinkers, such as tris-succinimidyl aminotriacetate (TSAT), may be used in preparing a composition of the invention.

The spacer arm between the reactive groups of any cross-linkers can have various length and chemical composition. A longer spacer arm allows a better flexibility of the molecule's components, while some particular features in the bridge (e.g., benzene group) can lend extra stability to the reactive group or an increased resistance of the chemical link to the action of various aspects (e.g., disulfide bond resistant to reducing agents).

In addition to chemical conjugation of two components, polypeptide moieties may also be directly linked together as a fusion protein, provided the MSP-8 and the antigen moieties retain their structural integrity in the context of the fusion protein. The invention thus encompasses a nucleic acid encoding a composition of the invention wherein the composition is a fusion protein comprising MSP-8 and an antigen. The MSP-8 and antigen moieties may be separated within the fusion protein by a spacer or linker peptide to enable proper folding of the moieties and to reduce potential steric problems. In one embodiment, the spacer peptide is a five (5) glycine peptide. Other linker sequences are described elsewhere herein. Using standard molecular biology techniques, a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide comprising, for instance, MSP-1₁₉ and MSP-8, may be used to produce a fusion protein. The nucleic acid molecules are inserted into a vector that is able to express the encoded fusion protein when introduced into an appropriate host cell. The nucleic acid molecules are operably linked to promoter/regulatory sequences. Appropriate host cells include, but are not limited to, bacterial, yeast, insect, and mammalian cells. Any of the methods known to one skilled in the art for the insertion of DNA fragments into a vector may be used to construct expression vectors encoding the fusion proteins of the invention under control of transcriptional/translational control signals. These methods may include in vitro recombinant DNA and synthetic techniques and in vivo recombinations. Promoters which may be used to control expression of the fusion polypeptide molecules include, but are not limited to, the long terminal repeat, the SV40 early promoter region, the CMV promoter, the M-MuLV 5′ terminal repeat the promoter contained in the 3′ long terminal repeat of Rous sarcoma virus, the herpes thymidine kinase promoter, the regulatory sequences of the metallothionine gene; prokaryotic expression sequences, such as the β-lactamase promoter or the tac promoter; promoter elements from yeast or fungi, such as the Gal 4 promoter, the ADH (alcohol dehydrogenase) promoter, PGK (phosphoglycerol kinase) promoter, alkaline phosphatase promoter, and tissue-specific transcriptional control regions obtained from, for example, an elastase I gene, insulin gene, immunoglobulin gene, mouse mammary tumor virus, albumin gene, α-fetoprotein gene, α1-antitrypsin gene, β-globin gene, myelin basic protein gene, myosin light chain-2 gene, and gonadotropic releasing hormone gene.

A nucleic acid encoding a molecule of the invention may also be expressed in vitro using in vitro transcription/translation systems. In vitro translation systems are known in the art and include extracts from rabbit reticulocytes, wheat germ and Escherichia coli. Commercial products are available for in vitro transcription/translation systems from, for instance, Ambio (Austin, Tex.) and Promega (Madison, Wis.).

Pharmaceutical Compositions and Methods of Use

The compositions of the invention are useful in applications for inducing immune responses. Accordingly, the invention provides a method of administering a composition of the invention to an animal in order to provoke an immune system in the animal. The compositions and methods described herein can be used for vaccination against substantially any human or other vertebrate pathogen (viral, bacterial, prion), or any other antigen of interest. In another method, a human patient is immunized against a Plasmodium infection by administering a composition comprising MSP-8 linked to MSP-1₁₉. In a preferred embodiment, the MSP-8 and MSP-1₁₉ components in the composition are P. falciparum sequences. In another preferred embodiment, MSP-1₁₉ is linked via a 5-glycine linker peptide to the N-terminal of MSP-8.

In embodiments of the methods, a combination comprising two or more different compositions of the invention are administered. For instance, multiple antigens from the same pathogen may be used to prepare a multivalent vaccine. Antigens may also be from different strains of a pathogen to prepare a multivalent vaccine. Combination immunization encompasses administering a single vaccine comprising two or more different molecules. Combination immunization also encompasses administering different molecules at separate sites in an animal.

The invention also encompasses a method of producing a neutralizing antibody. The method comprises administering an immunogenic amount of a composition of the invention to a mammal. That is, a detectable immune response can be elicited in the mammal such that a neutralizing antibody is produced that can detectably inhibit a pathogen function that is associated with, or mediates, pathogen infection. In a preferred embodiment, the composition of the invention comprises MSP-8 linked to MSP-1₁₉. This novel composition provides a useful immunogenic molecule that can elicit a neutralizing antibody recognizing at least one functional core domain of a Plasmodium polypeptide, thereby producing a neutralizing antibody that specifically binds with a polypeptide domain required for Plasmodium function and/or infection.

One skilled in the art would appreciate, based upon the disclosure provided herein, that the immunogenic dose of a composition of the invention comprising MSP-8 linked to MSP-1₁₉ may be a useful therapeutic to treat and/or alleviate a malarial infection in a human both before and after exposure to the Plasmodium parasite. That is, the immunogenic dose may be administered prior to, during, or after infection of a human by a Plasmodium spp. Thus, the invention embraces both prophylactic and therapeutic uses for a composition of the invention.

The skilled artisan would understand, based upon the disclosure provided herein, that a neutralizing antibody of the invention can be produced in a mammal in order to treat, alleviate, or prevent pathogen infection in that mammal, where the mammal is in need thereof. Further, the neutralizing antibody can be produced in one mammal and can be administered to another mammal in need thereof (i.e., passive immunization) to inhibit or prevent pathogen infection in the mammal that receives the antibody. Methods for preventing and/or inhibiting pathogen infection in a mammal using a neutralizing antibody are known in the art and are not further described herein.

In the methods of the invention, a molecule of the invention can be administered to any animal having an adaptive immune system in order to induce an immune response. Animals useful in practicing the methods of the invention include, but are not limited to, mammals, fish and reptiles. Preferably the mammal is a primate, more preferably a human. Non-human primates may also be used in the invention. Mammals including mice, rats, rabbits, goats, horses, sheep, cattle and the like are also included.

The invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising a composition of the invention that are useful, for example, in practicing the methods of the invention. Thus, the preparation and use of pharmaceutical or veterinary compositions comprising MSP-8 linked to an antigen as an active ingredient are encompassed by the invention. Such a pharmaceutical composition may consist of the linked active ingredient alone, in a form suitable for administration to a subject, or the pharmaceutical composition may comprise the linked active ingredient and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, one or more additional ingredients, or some combination of these. Administration of one of these pharmaceutical compositions to a subject is useful for treating, ameliorating, relieving, inducing an immune response against, preventing, inhibiting, or reducing any of a variety of disorders in the subject, as described elsewhere in the present disclosure. The active ingredient may be present in the pharmaceutical composition in the form of a physiologically acceptable ester or salt, such as in combination with a physiologically acceptable cation or anion, as is well known in the art.

The formulations of the pharmaceutical compositions described herein may be prepared by any method known or hereafter developed in the art of pharmacology. In general, such preparatory methods include the step of bringing the active ingredient into association with a vehicle or one or more other accessory ingredients, and then, if necessary or desirable, shaping or packaging the product into a desired single- or multi-dose unit.

It will be appreciated that the precise formulation and dosage amounts will vary depending upon any number of factors, including, but not limited to, the type and severity of the disease to be treated, the route of administration, the age and overall health of the individual, etc. However, the preparation of a pharmaceutically acceptable composition having an appropriate pH, isotonicity, stability and other characteristics is within the skill of the art. Pharmaceutical compositions are described in the art, for example, in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences (1985, Genaro, ed., Mack Publishing Co., Easton, Pa.).

Although the descriptions of pharmaceutical compositions provided are principally directed to pharmaceutical compositions which are suitable for ethical administration to humans, it will be understood by the skilled artisan that such compositions are generally suitable for administration to animals of all sorts. Modification of pharmaceutical compositions suitable for administration to humans in order to render the compositions suitable for administration to various animals is well understood, and the ordinarily skilled veterinary pharmacologist can design and perform such modification with merely ordinary, if any, experimentation.

A pharmaceutical composition of the invention may be prepared, packaged, or sold in bulk, as a single unit dose, or as a plurality of single unit doses. As used herein, a “unit dose” is discrete amount of the pharmaceutical composition comprising a predetermined amount of the active ingredient. The amount of the active ingredient is generally equal to the dosage of the active ingredient which would be administered to a subject or a convenient fraction of such a dosage such as, for example, one-half or one-third of such a dosage.

The relative amounts of the active ingredient, the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and any additional ingredients in a pharmaceutical composition of the invention will vary, depending upon the identity, size, and condition of the subject treated and further depending upon the route by which the composition is to be administered. By way of example, the composition may comprise between 0.1% and 100% (w/w) active ingredient.

Pharmaceutical compositions that are useful in the methods of the invention may be prepared, packaged, or sold in formulations suitable for gastrointestinal, oral, rectal, vaginal, parenteral, topical, pulmonary, intranasal, buccal, ophthalmic, or another route of administration. Other contemplated formulations include projected nanoparticles, liposomal preparations, resealed erythrocytes containing the active ingredient, and immunologically-based formulations.

Preferably, the composition of the invention is administered by a parenteral route.

As used herein, “parenteral administration” of a pharmaceutical composition includes any route of administration characterized by physical breaching of a tissue of a subject and administration of the pharmaceutical composition through the breach in the tissue. Parenteral administration thus includes, but is not limited to, administration of a pharmaceutical composition by injection of the composition, by application of the composition through a surgical incision, by application of the composition through a tissue-penetrating non-surgical wound, and the like. In particular, parenteral administration is contemplated to include, but is not limited to, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, intravenous, intra-arterial, intramuscular, or intrasternal injection and intravenous, intra-arterial, or kidney dialytic infusion techniques.

Formulations of a pharmaceutical composition suitable for parenteral administration comprise a composition of the invention combined with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, such as sterile water or sterile isotonic saline. Such formulations may be prepared, packaged, or sold in a form suitable for bolus administration or for continuous administration. Injectable formulations may be prepared, packaged, or sold in unit dosage form, such as in ampoules, in multi-dose containers containing a preservative, or in single-use devices for auto-injection or injection by a medical practitioner. Formulations for parenteral administration include, but are not limited to, suspensions, solutions, emulsions in oily or aqueous vehicles, pastes, and implantable sustained-release or biodegradable formulations. Such formulations may further comprise one or more additional ingredients including, but not limited to, suspending, stabilizing, or dispersing agents. In one embodiment of a formulation for parenteral administration, the active ingredient is provided in dry (i.e., powder or granular) form for reconstitution with a suitable carrier (e.g., sterile pyrogen-free water) prior to parenteral administration of the reconstituted composition.

The pharmaceutical compositions may be prepared, packaged, or sold in the form of a sterile injectable aqueous or oily suspension or solution. This suspension or solution may be formulated according to the art, and may comprise, in addition to the active ingredient, additional ingredients such as the dispersing agents, wetting agents, or suspending agents described herein. Such sterile injectable formulations may be prepared using a non-toxic parenterally-acceptable diluent or solvent, such as water or 1,3-butane diol, for example. Other acceptable diluents and solvents include, but are not limited to, Ringer's solution, isotonic sodium chloride solution, and fixed oils such as synthetic mono- or di-glycerides. Other parentally-administrable formulations which are useful include those which comprise the active ingredient in microcrystalline form, in a liposomal preparation, or as a component of a biodegradable polymer systems. Compositions for sustained release or implantation may comprise pharmaceutically acceptable polymeric or hydrophobic materials such as an emulsion, an ion exchange resin, a sparingly soluble polymer, or a sparingly soluble salt.

Pharmaceutical compositions of the invention for use as vaccines may further comprise adjuvants. Examples of adjuvants useful in these vaccines include, but are not limited to, aluminum salts, ISCOMs, Montanide™ ISA720 and ISA51 (Seppic, Paris, France), MF59, unmethylated CpG, quill glycosides, Quil A, QS21, monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL), AS02A, liposomes, bacterial mitogens and toxins and other TLR agonists. In one embodiment, the adjuvant is Quil A.

When the vaccine comprises an isolated nucleic acid encoding a molecule of the invention, the DNA-based vaccine may be prepared following the disclosure described in Wang et al. (1993, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:4156-4160) for mice immunization. The nucleic acid vaccine comprises DNA encoding a fusion protein comprising MSP-8 linked to a polypeptide antigen expressed under the control of any of the promoters disclosed herein or known in the art. Antibodies are raised against the expressed protein by intramuscular injection of DNA. To adapt this DNA-based vaccine to human subjects, the amounts of DNA, the route of injection and the adjuvants to be used can vary from that described in Wang. However, these variations will be readily apparent to the skilled artisan working in the field of nucleic acid-based vaccines.

The skilled artisan would understand that the nucleic acids of the invention encompass an RNA or a DNA sequence encoding a protein, e.g., MSP-8 or an antigen, and any modified forms thereof, including chemical modifications of the DNA or RNA which render the nucleotide sequence more stable when it is cell free or when it is associated with a cell. Chemical modifications of nucleotides may also be used to enhance the efficiency with which a nucleotide sequence is taken up by a cell or the efficiency with which it is expressed in a cell. Any and all combinations of modifications of the nucleotide sequences are contemplated in the present invention.

Antibodies Against a Composition of the Invention

The invention also provides antibodies against a composition of the invention. Such antibodies are useful for diagnostic, research and therapeutic applications, such as passive immunization. In a preferred embodiment, the antibodies specifically bind a molecule of the invention. In one embodiment, the antibody specifically binds to a molecule comprising MSP-8 covalently linked to MSP-1₁₉. In one embodiment, the antibody specifically binds to SEQ ID NO. 23. In a preferred embodiment, the antibody specifically binds to a molecule in which both MSP-8 and MSP-1₁₉ are P. falciparum or P. vivax sequences, or substantial homologs thereof. In one embodiment, the antibody is polyclonal. In another, the antibody is monoclonal. The antibody may also be one of a humanized antibody, a synthetic antibody, a heavy chain antibody, and a biologically active fragment of an antibody, wherein the biologically active fragment comprises an Fv fragment, an Fab fragment or an F(ab)₂ fragment. A heavy chain antibody may be one of a camelid antibody, a heavy chain disease antibody, and a variable heavy chain immunoglobulin.

Camelid antibodies differ from those of most other mammals in that they lack a light chain, and thus comprise only heavy chains with complete and diverse antigen binding capabilities (Hamers-Casterman et al., 1993, Nature, 363: 446 448). Such heavy-chain antibodies are useful in that they are smaller than conventional mammalian antibodies, they are more soluble than conventional antibodies, and further demonstrate an increased stability compared to some other antibodies.

The generation of polyclonal antibodies is accomplished by inoculating the desired animal with a composition of the invention comprising MSP-8 linked to an antigen and isolating antibodies which specifically bind the antigen therefrom. The production of polyclonal sera from camelid species is substantively similar to the production of polyclonal sera from other animals such as sheep, donkeys, goats, horses, mice, chickens, rats, and the like. The skilled artisan, when equipped with the present disclosure and the methods detailed herein, can prepare high-titers of antibodies from a camelid species with no undue experimentation. Camelid species for the production of antibodies and sundry other uses are available from various sources, including but not limited to, Camello Fataga S. L. (Gran Canaria, Canary Islands) for Old World camelids, and High Acres Llamas (Fredricksburg, Tex.) for New World camelids.

Monoclonal antibodies directed against a composition of the invention may be prepared using any well known monoclonal antibody preparation procedures, such as those described, for example, in Harlow et al. (1988, In: Antibodies, A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.) and in Tuszynski et al. (1988, Blood, 72:109-115). Human monoclonal antibodies may be prepared by the method described in U.S. patent publication 2003/0224490. Quantities of the desired peptide may also be synthesized using chemical synthesis technology. Monoclonal antibodies directed against a molecule of the invention may be generated from mice, or other mammal, immunized with the molecule using standard procedures as referenced herein.

Nucleic acid encoding the monoclonal antibody obtained using the procedures described herein may be cloned and sequenced using technology which is available in the art, and is described, for example, in Wright et al. (1992, Critical Rev. in Immunol. 12(3,4):125-168) and the references cited therein. Further, the antibody of the invention may be “humanized” using the technology described in Wright et al., (supra) and in the references cited therein, and in Gu et al. (1997, Thrombosis and Hematocyst 77(4):755-759).

To generate a phage antibody library, a cDNA library is first obtained from mRNA which is isolated from cells, e.g., the hybridoma, which express the desired protein to be expressed on the phage surface, e.g., the desired antibody. cDNA copies of the mRNA are produced using reverse transcriptase. cDNA which specifies immunoglobulin fragments are obtained by PCR and the resulting DNA is cloned into a suitable bacteriophage vector to generate a bacteriophage DNA library comprising DNA specifying immunoglobulin genes. The procedures for making a bacteriophage library comprising heterologous DNA are well known in the art and are described, for example, in Sambrook et al., supra, 2001.

Bacteriophage that encode the desired antibody may be engineered such that the protein is displayed on the surface thereof in such a manner that it is available for binding to its corresponding binding protein, e.g., the antigen against which the antibody is directed. Thus, when bacteriophage which express a specific antibody are incubated in the presence of a cell which expresses the corresponding antigen, the bacteriophage will bind to the cell. Bacteriophage which do not express the antibody will not bind to the cell. Such panning techniques are well known in the art and are described for example, in Wright et al., (supra).

Processes such as those described above, have been developed for the production of human antibodies using M13 bacteriophage display (Burton et al., 1994, Adv. Immunol. 57:191-280). Essentially, a cDNA library is generated from mRNA obtained from a population of antibody-producing cells. The mRNA encodes rearranged immunoglobulin genes and thus, the cDNA encodes the same. Amplified cDNA is cloned into M13 expression vectors creating a library of phage which express human Fab fragments on their surface. Phage which display the antibody of interest are selected by antigen binding and are propagated in bacteria to produce soluble human Fab immunoglobulin. Thus, in contrast to conventional monoclonal antibody synthesis, this procedure immortalizes DNA encoding human immunoglobulin rather than cells which express human immunoglobulin.

The procedures just presented describe the generation of phage which encode the Fab portion of an antibody molecule. However, the invention should not be construed to be limited solely to the generation of phage encoding Fab antibodies. Rather, phage which encode single chain antibodies (scFv/phage antibody libraries) are also included in the invention. Fab molecules comprise the entire Ig light chain, that is, they comprise both the variable and constant region of the light chain, but include only the variable region and first constant region domain (CHI) of the heavy chain. Single chain antibody molecules comprise a single chain of protein comprising the Ig Fv fragment. An Ig Fv fragment includes only the variable regions of the heavy and light chains of the antibody, having no constant region contained therein. Phage libraries comprising scFv DNA may be generated following the procedures described in Marks et al., 1991, J. Mol. Biol. 222:581-597. Panning of phage so generated for the isolation of a desired antibody is conducted in a manner similar to that described for phage libraries comprising Fab DNA.

The invention should also be construed to include synthetic phage display libraries in which the heavy and light chain variable regions may be synthesized such that they include nearly all possible specificities (Barbas, 1995, Nature Medicine 1:837-839; de Kruif et al., 1995, J. Mol. Biol. 248:97-105).

Kits

The invention also includes a kit comprising a composition of the invention and an instructional material which describes administering the molecule to an animal to induce an immune response. In an embodiment, this kit further comprises a (preferably sterile) pharmaceutically acceptable carrier suitable for dissolving or suspending the molecule of the invention prior to administering the molecule to the animal. Optionally, the kit comprises an applicator for administering the molecule. In one embodiment, the molecule in the kit comprises MSP-8 linked to MSP-1₁₉. Preferably, both MSP-8 and MSP-1₁₉ are P. falciparum or P. vivax sequences, or sequences substantially homologous thereto.

A kit comprising an antibody that specifically binds a composition comprising MSP-8 linked to an antigen and an instructional material is also provided. In one embodiment, the composition comprises MSP-8 linked to MSP-1₁₉. Preferably, the antibody specifically binds to a molecule comprising MSP-8 linked to MSP-1₁₉, wherein both are P. falciparum or P. vivax sequences, or sequences substantially homologous thereto. In one embodiment, the composition comprises SEQ ID NO. 23.

A kit providing a nucleic acid encoding a composition of the invention comprising a fusion of a polypeptide antigen to MSP-8 and an instructional material is also provided. In one embodiment, the nucleic acid is SEQ ID NO. 22.

The composition in a kit of the invention may be present in the kit as a sterile solution in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or in solid form that can be solubilized or suspended with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. A container of a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is optionally provided in a kit with a composition of the invention in solid form.

The instructional material in each kit simply embody the disclosure provided herein.

EXAMPLES

The invention is further described in detail by reference to the following experimental examples. These examples are provided for purposes of illustration only, and are not intended to be limiting unless otherwise specified. Thus, the invention should in no way be construed as being limited to the following examples, but rather, should be construed to encompass any and all variations which become evident as a result of the teaching provided herein.

The materials and methods used in the following Experimental Examples are now described.

Mice and parasites: Male BALB/cByJ mice, five to six weeks of age, were purchased from The Jackson Laboratory (Bar Harbor, Me.). All animals were housed in the Animal Care Facility of Drexel University College of Medicine under specific pathogen free conditions. The lethal 17XL and nonlethal 17X strains of P. yoelii were originally obtained from Dr. William P. Weidanz (University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis.).

Expression and purification of PyMSP-1 and PyMSP-8 recombinant proteins: rPyMSP-1₄₂ and PyMSP-8. For the pymsp-1₄₂ construct, a 1080 bp fragment derived from the 3′ end of the P. yoelii 17XL MSP-1 gene (nucleotide 4380-5451, accession #J04668 (Lewis, 1989, Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 36: 271-82)) was PCR amplified from P. yoelii 17XL genomic DNA using oligonucleotide primers 5′-GAACATATGCCAGAAAAAGATATT-3′ (5′ primer; SEQ ID NO: 14) and 5′-TGAGGATCCCATTTAGCTGGAAGA-3′ (3′ primer; SEQ ID NO: 15). To facilitate subcloning, NdeI and BamHI restriction sites were incorporated into the 5′ and 3′ primers, respectively. The amplified fragment was gel purified, digested with NdeI and BamHI, and ligated into NdeI/BamHI-digested pET-15b (Novagen, Madison, Wis.). Using the pET/T7 RNA polymerase expression system with E. coli BL21 (DE3)(pLysS) host strain, a 42 kDa recombinant antigen (rPyMSP-1₄₂) was produced that represents the C-terminus of PyMSP-1, minus the hydrophobic anchor sequence. This recombinant PyMSP-1₄₂ contains 20 plasmid-encoded amino acids (SEQ ID NO. 13) fused to its N-terminus, which includes six histidine residues. rPyMSP-1₄₂ was purified from an insoluble fraction of bacterial lysate by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography under denaturing conditions (Burns et al., 2003, Vaccine 21: 1843-1852). To promote formation of disulfide bonds, the denaturant was gradually removed by dialysis in the presence of reduced and oxidized glutathione (10:1 ratio), as previously reported for rPyMSP-8 (Burns et al., 2000, Infect. Immun. 68: 6189-6195; Shi et al., 2005, Infect. Immun. 73: 6363-6371), as well as MSP-1₄₂ and AMA-1 of P. chabaudi. The expression and purification of full-length recombinant PyMSP-8 (rPyMSP-8) from P. yoelii 17XL followed a similar protocol and has been previously described in detail (Burns et al., 2000, Infect. Immun. 68: 6189-6195; Shi et al., 2006, Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 149:231-41; Shi et al., 2005, Infect. Immun. 73: 6363-6371).

GST-PyMSP-1₁₉ and GST-PyMSP-8C. Previously published protocols for the expression and purification of the C-terminal portion of PyMSP-1 fused to Schistosoma japonicum glutathione S— transferase (GST-PyMSP-1₁₉) were followed (Daly et al., 1993, Infect. Immun. 61:2462-2467). Briefly, a 417 bp fragment encoding the 3′ end of pymsp-1 gene (nucleotide 5044-5459 accession #J04668) was PCR amplified from P. yoelii 17XL genomic DNA, using oligonucleotides 5′-CCCGAATTCACATAGCCTCAATAGCTTTAA-3′ (5′ primer; SEQ ID NO: 16) and 5′-CCCGAATTCTCCCATAAAGCTGGA-3′ (3′ primer; SEQ ID NO: 17) as primers.

A similar approach was taken for the generation of a comparable construct, based on PyMSP-8, which encodes GST-PyMSP-8C. A 393 bp fragment encoding the C-terminus of PyMSP-8 gene (nucleotides 1021-1413, accession #AY005132 (Burns et al., 2000, Infect. Immun. 68: 6189-6195)) was PCR amplified using oligonucleotide primers 5′-ATGGATCCATAACTATACTTAATTTAGCAAATGGT-3′(5′ primer; SEQ ID NO: 18) and 5′-GGGAATTCAACTTGAACAATAAATACCATCTCC-3′ (3′ primer; SEQ ID NO: 19).

The amplified fragment encoding PyMSP-1₁₉ was inserted into the EcoRI site of the pGEX/2T expression vector (Amersham Biosciences, Piscataway, N.J.). The amplified fragment encoding PyMSP-8 was cloned into BamHI and EcoRI digested pGEX/2T plasmid. The correct orientation of each insert was determined by restriction enzyme digestion. Fusion proteins GST-PyMSP-1₁₉ and GST-PyMSP-8C were expressed from their respective constructs using E. coli XL-1 Blue as the host strain (Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.). Recombinant GST-PyMSP-1₁₉ and GST-PyMSP-8C were purified from the soluble lysate of isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG)-induced bacterial cells by affinity chromatography using a glutathione agarose column (Amersham Biosciences) as previously described (Daly et al., 1993, Infect. Immun. 61:2462-2467; Daly et al., 1995, J. Immunol. 155: 236-243). For control immunizations, non-fused GST was purified as above from E. coli transformed with the pGEX/2T vector containing no inserted DNA.

The concentrations of recombinant proteins were determined using the bicinchoninic acid protein assay (Pierce Biotechnology Inc, Rockford Ill.). Protein purity and conformation were assessed by Coomassie blue staining following SDS-PAGE, run under both reduced and non-reduced conditions. Corresponding immunoblots were probed with the monoclonal antibody mAb302 (Majarian ET AL., 1984, J. Immunol. 132: 3131-3137) for recombinant PyMSP-1 antigens and with rabbit anti-PyMSP-8 sera (Burns ET AL., 2000, Infect. Immun. 68: 6189-6195) for GST-PyMSP-8C. The yields of purified rPyMSP-1₄₂ and GST-PyMSP-1₁₉ were approximately 12 and 4 mg per liter of induced bacterial culture, respectively. The yields of purified rPyMSP-8 and GST-PyMSP-8C were both about 1.5 mg per liter of induced bacterial culture.

Construction and expression of recombinant PyMSP-1/8 chimeric antigen: A 414 bp fragment encoding pymsp-1₁₉ was PCR amplified from the pGEX/PyMSP-1₁₉ plasmid described above, using oligonucleotides 5′-GCCCATATGCACATAGCCTCAATAGCTTTAA-AC-3′ (5′ primer; SEQ ID NO: 20) and 5′-CCCATATGACCACCACCACCTCCCATAAAG-CTGGAAGAACT-3′ (3′ primer; SEQ ID NO: 21) as primers. A spacer comprising four glycine residues was incorporated into the 3′ primer. The four primer-encoded glycines are immediately adjacent to the C-terminal glycine residue of PyMSP-1₁₉, resulting in five consecutive glycines as part of the spacer. To facilitate subcloning, NdeI restriction sites were added to both the 5′ and 3′ primers. The amplified fragment was gel purified, digested with NdeI, and ligated into NdeI-digested pET-15/PyMSP-8 plasmid. Plasmids with inserts were digested by EcoRV to assess the orientation of the inserted fragment. For expression, a clone with the correct orientation was transformed into Origami(DE3)pLysS E. coli cells, a K-12 derivative with mutations in both the thioredoxin reductase (trxB) and glutathione reductase (gor) genes to facilitate disulfide bond formation (Novagen, Madison, Wis.). The nucleic acid sequence of the chimeric rPyMSP-1/8 protein is shown in SEQ ID NO. 22. The deduced amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO. 23) contains 21 vector-encoded residues at the N-terminus (SEQ ID NO: 13), which includes a six His-tag, joined to PyMSP-1₁₉, followed by spacer residues and then the full-length, mature PyMSP-8. The predicted molecular weight of rPyMSP1/8 is about 59-60 kDa.

Purification of recombinant PyMSP-1/8: At the mid-log phase of growth, rPyMSP-1/8 expression was induced by the addition of IPTG to a final concentration of 1 mM, and incubation continued for 3 hour at 37° C. Bacteria were harvested, washed, resuspended in lysis buffer (50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, 500 mM NaCl, 10 mM EDTA) and treated for 2 hours with lysozyme (0.5 mg/ml). Following lysis, viscosity was reduced by brief sonication. The rPyMSP-1/8 antigen was purified from a soluble fraction of lysed bacteria obtained following centrifugation for 30 min at 40,000×g. A 30% ammonium sulfate fraction of the initial lysate was dialyzed into 20 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, 500 mM NaCl at 4° C., overnight. The fraction was recovered from dialysis and cycled over a nickel-chelate affinity chromatography column at 4° C. (Ni-NTA Superflow matrix, Qiagen, Inc., Valencia, Calif.) under non-denaturing conditions. The column was washed, eluted and fractions were examined by SDS-PAGE. Fractions containing rPyMSP-1/8 were combined and dialyzed into renaturation buffer (50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.3, 500 mM NaCl, 3 mM reduced glutathione, 0.3 mM oxidized glutathione) containing 4 M guanidine-HCl. The concentration of guanidine-HCl was gradually removed by dialysis, in the presence of reduced and oxidized glutathione (Scheele et al., 1982, J. Biol. Chem. 257: 12277-12282). Following dialysis into 20 mM Tris-HCl (pH 8.0) and 500 mM NaCl, rPyMSP-1/8 was further purified on a second Ni-NTA affinity column, under non-denaturing conditions. The final protein concentration and purity were determined as above. The yield of purified rPyMSP-1/8 was approximately 0.5-1 mg per liter of induced bacterial culture.

Immunizations and experimental infections: Groups of 4 to 10 BALB/cByJ mice were immunized subcutaneously (2 sites) with various recombinant MSP proteins formulated with Quil A (25 μg; Accurate Chemical and Scientific Corporation, Westbury, N.Y.) as adjuvant. For immunization, doses of recombinant antigen per mouse were varied from 1 to 50 μg (see Table-1 and Figure legends). For the combined formulation, rPyMSP-1₄₂ and rPyMSP-8 were mixed in saline with adjuvant just prior to injection. Control groups were immunized with non-fused GST formulated with Quil A or with Quil A alone.

In all experiments, mice received three immunizations, at three week intervals with the same dose of antigen and adjuvant used for the priming immunization. Two weeks following the last immunization, all mice were challenged by intraperitoneal injection of 1×10⁵ P. yoelii 17XL- or P. yoelii 17X-parasitized RBCs obtained from a donor mouse.

Blood parasitemia was monitored by enumeration of parasitized erythrocytes in thin tail-blood smears stained with Giemsa. In accord with Institutional Animal Care and Use policy, P. yoelii 17XL infections were considered lethal when parasitemia exceeded 50%, at which time animals were euthanized.

ELISA: Approximately 2-3 days prior to P. yoelii challenge infection, a small volume of serum was collected from each immunized mouse, and the titers of antigen-specific antibodies were measured by ELISA. For mice immunized with rPyMSP-1₄₂, titers were determined using wells coated with rPyMSP-1₄₂ or GST-PyMSP-1₁₉. For mice immunized with rPyMSP-8, titers were determined using wells coated with rPyMSP-8 or GST-PyMSP-8C. For mice immunized with the combination of rPyMSP-1₄₂ and rPyMSP-8 or with the chimeric rPyMSP-1/8, titers were determined using wells coated with each of the four recombinant MSP antigens.

Antigen coated wells (0.25 μg/well) were washed and blocked for 1 hour with TBS (25 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, 150 mM NaCl) containing 5% non-fat dry milk. Serial two-fold dilutions of each sera in TBS-0.1% Tween 20 containing 1% BSA were added to antigen coated wells and incubated for 1 hour at room temperature. Bound antibodies were detected using horseradish peroxidase-conjugated rabbit antibody specific for mouse IgG (Zymed Laboratories, South San Francisco, Calif.). The mean absorbance of sera from adjuvant control mice (n=5) was subtracted as background. Titer was defined as the dilution of sera that yielded an OD₄₀₅ of 0.5. P. yoelii hyperimmune serum was included on each assay as an internal reference to normalize the data between assays. To generate this pool of hyperimmune sera, mice were infected with 1×10⁵ P. yoelii 17X parasitized RBCs (day 0). Following parasite clearance, mice were rechallenged on day 60 and again on day 90 with 1×10⁷ P. yoelii 17X parasitized RBCs. Serum was collected 2 weeks following the last parasite challenge.

Statistical Analysis: The statistical significance of differences in antibody responses and in mean peak parasitemia between groups was calculated by analysis of variance. The significance of differences in the number of surviving animals between groups was determined by the Mantel-Haenszel logrank test (GraphPad Prism 4.0, GraphPad Software Inc., San Diego, Calif.).

Experimental Example 1 Comparison of PyMSP-1 and PyMSP-8 Vaccine Efficacy Against P. yoelii 17XL Challenge Infection

An initial series of immunization and challenge studies was conducted to compare the relative efficacy of immunization with various PyMSP-1 and PyMSP-8 recombinant antigens at several antigen doses. Quil A was selected as adjuvant based on a large set of PyMSP-8 immunogenicity and efficacy data (Shi et al., 2005, Infect. Immun. 73: 6363-6371) and minimal adjuvant toxicity at the site of injection.

Recombinant MSP antigens prepared included rPyMSP-1₄₂, full-length rPyMSP-8 and two glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion proteins, GST-PyMSP-1₁₉ and GST-PyMSP-8C, that contained only the C-terminal EGF-like domains of PyMSP-1 and PyMSP-8, respectively. Protein purity and conformation were assessed by SDS-PAGE and immunoblot analysis. Coomassie-blue stained gels of these recombinant MSP antigens run under reducing (FIG. 1A) and non-reducing conditions (FIG. 1B) are shown in FIG. 1. The corresponding immunoblots of non-reduced antigens to further evaluate conformation are shown using mAb302 specific for PyMSP-1 (FIG. 2A) and polyclonal rabbit antiserum raised against refolded PyMSP-8 (FIG. 2B). Based on relative migration on SDS-polyacrylamide gels and presence of a single, dominant reactive band on immunoblots, the recombinant PyMSP-1 and PyMSP-8 antigens appeared to be properly folded.

BALB/cByJ mice were immunized and boosted twice with each MSP vaccine formulation, prior to P. yoelii 17XL challenge infection. The data were compiled from 6 immunizations and challenge experiments (4-5 mice/group/experiment). The results of six efficacy trials are summarized in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Protection Induced by Immunization with PyMSP-1 and PyMSP-8 recombinant antigens^(a) Dose % Parasitemia Antigen (μg/immunization)^(b) Day 8 Survival^(c) rPyMSP-8 1 16.9 ± 16.0^(d) 3/5^(e) 5  5.6 ± 3.3^(d) 5/5^(e) 10  2.1 ± 2.2^(d) 9/10^(e) 25  4.6 ± 3.1^(d) 5/5^(e) GST-PyMSP-8C 10 52.4 ± 17.9 0/14 25 47.9 ± 17.4 0/5 50 39.6 ± 4.0 0/5 rPyMSP-1₄₂ 1 25.0 ± 23.4^(d) 0/5 5 26.9 ± 22.3^(d) 1/5 10 40.6 ± 18.5 1/9 25 29.0 ± 20.8^(d) 3/10^(e) GST-PyMSP-1₁₉ 10 24.0 ± 23.1^(d) 6/15^(e) 25  8.5 ± 10.9^(d) 2/4^(e) GST control 10 64.5 ± 17.8 0/5 25 52.2 ± 15.1 0/5 50 46.0 ± 22.5 0/4 Quil A control — 47.7 ± 16.8 0/28 ^(a)Data compiled from 6 immunization and challenge experiments (4-5 mice/group/experiment). ^(b)All animals were immunized 3 times at 21 day intervals with the indicated amount of each recombinant antigen formulated with Quil A as adjuvant (25 μg/dose). ^(c)Clearance of P. yoelii 17XL blood-stage parasites, with maximum parasitemia not exceeding 50% in any animal. ^(d)Significantly reduced compared to Quil A controls, ANOVA, p < 0.05 ^(e)Significantly different compared to Quil A controls, considering survival period and % mortality, Mantel-Haenszel logrank test, p < 0.05

As expected, immunization with mature, full-length rPyMSP-8, reproducibly protected 90-100% of mice against lethal P. yoelii 17XL malaria. In all groups of rPyMSP-8 immunized mice, mean parasitemia on day 8 of infection was significantly reduced (p<0.05) relative to adjuvant controls, indicative of the delay in ascending parasitemia (Table 1). Furthermore, 90-100% of rPyMSP-8 immunized mice (5, 10 and 25 μg doses) survived a lethal P. yoelii 17XL challenge infection. Significant protection was even noted following immunization with as little as 1 μg of antigen/mouse/immunization. In contrast to full-length rPyMSP-8, immunization with GST-PyMSP-8C provided no protection against P. yoelii 17XL malaria, even with high antigen doses (50 μg/immunization). rPyMSP-1₄₂ immunized mice exhibited a significant, but modest reduction in day 8 parasitemia and 20-30% survival rate (p<0.05), but protection was variable with respect to antigen dose. In contrast to MSP-8, immunization with GST-PyMSP-1₁₉ (10-25 μg/dose) partially protected (p<0.05) mice to a level similar to that achieved with rPyMSP-1₄₂ (25 μg/dose). In mice immunized with recombinant PyMSP-1 or PyMSP-8 antigens, protection could not be readily correlated with the prechallenge titer of antibodies against the immunizing antigen. No protection was ever observed in mice immunized with the GST carrier protein alone formulated with Quil A or with Quil A alone.

These data indicate that for any combined MSP-1 and MSP-8 vaccine formulation, immunization with substantially full-length rPyMSP-8 will likely be required for effective immunization. In addition, rPyMSP-8-induced protection against lethal P. yoelii malaria was consistently better than that achieved by immunization with comparable doses of rPyMSP-1₄₂ or GST-PyMSP-1₁₉ when utilizing Quil A as adjuvant.

Experimental Example 2 Combined Immunization with rPyMSP-1₄₂ and rPyMSP-8 does not Improve Protection Against P. yoelii 17XL Infection

To test if a combined antigen formulation could improve overall vaccine efficacy, BALB/cByJ mice were immunized with rPyMSP-1₄₂ (10 μg), rPyMSP-8 (10 μg) or a combination of rPyMSP-1₄₂ and rPyMSP-8 (10 μg+10 μg), formulated with Quil A as adjuvant. As shown in FIG. 3A, rPyMSP-8-immunized mice were protected against an otherwise lethal P. yoelii 17XL challenge infection, with peak parasitemia occurring 12-16 days post-challenge with a mean of 16.3%±14.6%. All mice immunized with Quil A alone developed fulminant, unremitting parasitemia by day 8 of infection. Immunization with rPyMSP-1₄₂ at 10 μg/dose did not afford any significant level of protection.

Unexpectedly, no increase in protection was observed in mice immunized with the combination of rPyMSP-1₄₂ and rPyMSP-8. In fact, only three animals immunized with the combination controlled a lethal P. yoelii 17XL infection. Through day 14 of infection, the mean peak parasitemia in mice immunized with both rPyMSP-1₄₂ and rPyMSP-8 was 39.5%±13.0%, significantly higher than that in mice immunized with only rPyMSP-8 (p<0.05). Two animals from the same group showed a delay in the onset of patent parasitemia but were sacrificed on day 14 when parasitemia exceeded 50%. Thus, protection against P. yoelii 17XL malaria induced by immunization with rPyMSP-8 alone was actually better than that achieved by immunization with the combination of rPyMSP-1₄₂ and rPyMSP-8.

To determine if there were differences in the immunogenicity of rPyMSP-1₄₂ and rPyMSP-8 formulated alone or in combination, antibodies present in prechallenge immunization sera specific for rPyMSP-1₄₂ and rPyMSP-8 were measured by ELISA. To assess the response to conformational epitopes associated with the double EGF-like domains of each antigen, immunization-induced antibodies reactive with GST-PyMSP-1₁₉ and GST-PyMSP-8C were also measured. As shown in FIG. 3B, immunization with rPyMSP-8 induced a high level of antibodies against rPyMSP-8, a significant portion of which also bound to its C-terminal EGF-like domains. The overall antibody response induced by immunization with rPyMSP-1₄₂ was also strong, but was significantly less than that observed for rPyMSP-8 (p<0.01). Distinct from that observed with PyMSP-8, a smaller proportion of the total anti-PyMSP-1₄₂ antibody induced recognized the EGF-like domains of PyMSP-1₁₉. Most importantly, the response to PyMSP-1₄₂ was markedly inhibited in mice immunized with the combination of rPyMSP-1₄₂ and rPyMSP-8, with little or no antibodies to protective PyMSP-1₁₉ epitopes detected (p<0.05). These data are indicative of a significant level of competition between the two MSP vaccine antigens when formulated in combination and of the immunodominance of rPyMSP-8 over rPyMSP-1₄₂.

Experimental Example 3 Production and Analysis of a Chimeric PyMSP-1₁₉ and PyMSP-8 Vaccine

Immunization with rPyMSP-8 provided the necessary T cell epitopes to promote a strong antibody response to B cell determinants associated with its C-terminal EGF-like domains. This was not the case with rPyMSP-1₄₂, creating an obstacle for the combined antigen immunization. To focus the antibody response on the protective EGF-like domains of PyMSP-1 while continuing to provide malaria-specific T cell help, a chimeric antigen gene was constructed (FIG. 4A).

The expressed recombinant protein contained the protective EGF-like domains of MSP-1 (PyMSP-1₁₉) linked via a glycine spacer to the N-terminus of full-length PyMSP-8. The conformation of the purified chimeric antigen was assessed based on its migration on SDS-PAGE (reduced vs. non-reduced) and its corresponding immunoblot reactivity with mAb302, which recognizes a conformational epitope on the first EGF-like domain of PyMSP-1₁₉, and with polyclonal rabbit antibodies raised against refolded rPyMSP-8.

As shown in FIG. 4B, chimeric rPyMSP-1/8 migrated as a predominant band of about 60 kDa in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol (R) and as a faster migrating doublet in the absence of 2-mercaptoethanol (NR). As shown by immunoblot analysis, the 60 kDa rPyMSP-1/8 was strongly reactive with the PyMSP-1₁₉ specific monoclonal antibody mAb302 and with polyclonal rabbit anti-refolded rPyMSP-8 sera (FIG. 4C). Higher molecular weight aggregates of refolded rPyMSP-1/8 run under non-reducing conditions were minimal. A smaller band of about 22 kDa was detected by immunoblot using mAb302 under non-reducing conditions. This band was not detected by the rabbit anti-PyMSP-8 sera, suggesting that the fragment is an N-terminal cleavage product containing PyMSP-1₁₉. Overall, the data indicate that in a high proportion of chimeric rPyMSP-1/8 proteins, the conformational epitopes of PyMSP-1₁₉ and PyMSP-8 appear intact.

Experimental Example 4 Immunization with the Chimeric rPyMSP-1/8 Vaccine Markedly Enhances Protection Against P. yoelii 17XL Malaria

To compare immunogenicity and protective efficacy, groups of BALB/cByJ mice were immunized with rPyMSP-8 (10 μg) or with an equimolar dose of the chimeric rPyMSP-1/8 antigen (14 μg), formulated with Quil A as adjuvant, or with adjuvant alone. Two weeks after the third immunization, prechallenge serum samples were collected, and immunization-induced antibodies were quantitated by ELISA. Groups of mice were subsequently challenged with P. yoelii 17XL, the lethal strain that invades both normocytes and reticulocytes or with nonlethal P. yoelii 17X parasites that preferentially invade reticulocytes.

As shown in FIG. 5, immunization with rPyMSP-8 or rPyMSP-1/8 induced a high and comparable level of IgG that recognized full-length PyMSP-8. In both groups of immunized animals, a high proportion of the total anti-PyMSP-8 antibody also recognized epitopes on the C-terminal EGF-like domains, as measured by reactivity with GST-PyMSP-8C.

More importantly, an equally high titer of antibodies was induced by rPyMSP-1/8 immunization which recognized the protective EGF-like domains of PyMSP-1, as measured by ELISA using rPyMSP-1₄₂ or GST-PyMSP-1₁₉ coated plates. The quantity of antibodies recognizing PyMSP-1₁₉ epitopes that was induced by immunization with the chimeric rPyMSP-1/8 was about 50-fold greater than that induced by immunization with rPyMSP-1₄₂ alone (FIG. 3B, p<0.01). Due to this marked and unexpected improvement in PyMSP-1₁₉ immunogenicity, the previous problem observed in Experimental Example 2 of competition between MSP-1 and MSP-8 in mice immunized with an admixture of rPyMSP-1₄₂ and rPyMSP-8 was overcome.

As shown in FIG. 6A, all mice immunized with either rPyMSP-8 or rPyMSP-1/8 survived lethal P. yoelii 17XL challenge, with all adjuvant control animals succumbing to infection by day 10. As measured by reduction in peak parasitemia in immunized and protected mice, the efficacy of immunization with the chimeric rPyMSP-1/8 was markedly improved relative to rPyMSP-8. As shown in FIG. 6B, all mice immunized with rPyMSP-1/8 cleared P. yoelii 17XL parasites from circulation, with a remarkably low mean peak parasitemia of only 0.9%±0.8%. Mice immunized with rPyMSP-8, on the other hand, developed a significantly higher parasitemia reaching a mean peak of 18.8%±7.7% between days 10 and 14 of infection before final parasite clearance (p<0.01).

Combined, the data clearly indicate that immunization with the chimeric rPyMSP-1/8 vaccine provided high, nearly-complete protection against P. yoelii 17XL malaria. This level of protection could not be achieved by immunization with rPyMSP-1₄₂ alone, rPyMSP-8 alone, or a mixture of rPyMSP-1₄₂ and rPyMSP-8.

In contrast, mice immunized with rPyMSP-8 or the chimeric rPyMSP-1/8 showed little or no reduction in parasitemia following challenge with the nonlethal, reticulocyte-restricted P. yoelii 17X strain of parasites (FIG. 7). Peak parasitemia in rPyMSP-8 reached a mean of 34.7%±10.9%, somewhat lower than that of 47.9%±14.8% in Quil A control mice (p<0.05). However, the mean peak parasitemia in rPyMSP-1/8 immunized mice of 44.4%±11.6% was not different than adjuvant controls (p>0.05). Late during infection, animals in each experimental group that had not cleared parasites and were anemic were sacrificed. The difference in mortality between groups was not significant (p>0.05). The inability to protect mice against reticulocyte-restricted blood-stage parasites using a highly efficacious vaccine that suppresses growth of blood-stage parasites in mature RBCs must be further investigated.

Experimental Example 5 Prolonged Protection Against P. yoelii 17XL Malaria Induced by Immunization with the Chimeric rPyMSP-1/8 Vaccine

The ability of the rPyMSP-1/8 vaccine to induce sustained protection against P. yoelii 17XL malaria was tested in two additional protocols. In the first protocol, the ability of the rPyMSP-1/8 vaccine to protect against repeated parasite exposure was evaluated. BALB/cByJ mice were immunized as above with rPyMSP-1/8 (3×, 14 μg/dose) formulated with Quil A as adjuvant (n=10) or with Quil A alone (n=7). Two weeks after the final immunization, mice were challenged with P. yoelii 17XL.

As before, mice immunized with rPyMSP-1/8 were solidly protected, with 100% survival and mean daily parasitemia of <6% Parasitemia in animals immunized with adjuvant alone was fulminate and resulted in 100% mortality by day 12 post-infection (FIG. 8A, 1° Py 17XL). Mice immunized with rPyMSP-1/8 and protected against P. yoelii malaria were then rested for approximately 3.5 months. No blood-stage parasites were detected during this time period. On day 106 following the first challenge infection, rPyMSP-1/8 immunized mice were then rechallenged with P. yoelii 17XL. As expected, all control mice succumbed to P. yoelii 17XL malaria by day 11 post-infection. However, rPyMSP-1/8 immunized mice were still solidly protected against a second exposure to lethal P. yoelii malaria (FIG. 8A, 2° Py 17XL).

The second protocol was designed to determine if protection induced by immunization with the chimeric rPyMSP-1/8 vaccine waned in the absence of exposure to blood-stage malaria parasites. BALB/cByJ mice were immunized as above with rPyMSP-1/8 (3×, 14 ug/dose) formulated with Quil A as adjuvant (n=9) or with Quil A alone (n=8). Following the final immunization, mice were rested. Primary challenge infection with P. yoelii 17XL was delayed for 17 weeks (˜4 months) following the last immunization with the rPyMSP-1/8 vaccine.

Despite the long period of time between immunization and challenge, protective efficacy of the rPyMSP-1/8 vaccine remained very high with 8/9 mice surviving an otherwise lethal challenge infection and clearing blood-stage parasites from circulation (FIG. 8B). Combined, these data indicate that immunization with the rPyMSP-1/8 vaccine induces sustained protection against repeated infection with blood-stage malaria parasites.

Experimental Example 6 Conformational Epitopes of rPyMSP-1, rPyMSP-8 and Chimeric rPyMSP1/8 Antigens

In considering the enhanced efficacy of the chimeric vaccine, it is possible that the conformation of PyMSP-1₁₉ and/or PyMSP-8 portions of rPyMSP-1/8 more accurately mimicked the native antigens in comparison to individual rPyMSP-1 or rPyMSP-8 antigens. Alternatively, it could be that an interaction between PyMSP-1₁₉ and PyMSP-8 within the chimeric rPyMSP-1/8 resulted in the formation of novel protective epitopes. To test these possibilities, sera from mice immunized with the rPyMSP-1/8 were collected and passed over columns of immobilized 1) rPyMSP-8 and 2) GST-PyMSP-1₁₉. Reactivity of unabsorbed and absorbed sera was then compared by ELISA on wells coated with GST-PyMSP-1₁₉, rPyMSP-8 or rPyMSP-1/8.

As shown in FIG. 9A, removal of antibodies from the anti-rPyMSP-1/8 sera that reacted with GST-PyMSP-1₁₉ and rPyMSP-8 reduced reactivity with the chimeric rPyMSP-1/8 by >95%. In a second absorption assay, anti-rPyMSP-1/8 sera were passed over columns of immobilized 1) rPyMSP-8 and 2) rPyMSP-1₄₂ and reactivity of unabsorbed and absorbed sera again evaluated by ELISA. As shown in FIG. 9B, removal of antibodies from the anti-rPyMSP-1/8 sera that reacted with PyMSP-1₄₂ and PyMSP-8 reduced reactivity with rPyMSP-1/8 by >95%. Removal of PyMSP-1₄₂ reactive antibodies also eliminated reactivity with GST-PyMSP-1₁₉.

These data suggest that the PyMSP-1 EGF-like domains of GST-PyMSP-1₁₉, rPyMSP-1₄₂ and rPyMSP-1/8 bear a similar, if not identical, conformation. Likewise, the overall conformation of PyMSP-8 is similar when expressed alone or as part of the chimeric PyMSP-1/8 antigen. Based on an overall assessment of the immunogenicity and efficacy data obtained, and without wishing to be bound by theory, the dramatic increase in the efficacy of the chimeric P. yoelii MSP-1/8 vaccine against P. yoelii 17XL malaria is most likely due to the increase in the immunogenicity of MSP-1₁₉ and the concurrent targeting of both MSP-1 and MSP-8 antigens.

The disclosures of each and every patent, patent application, and publication cited herein are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

While the invention has been disclosed with reference to specific embodiments, it is apparent that other embodiments and variations of this invention may be devised by others skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. The appended claims are intended to be construed to include all such embodiments and equivalent variations. 

1. A composition comprising a chimeric protein, wherein said chimeric protein comprises Plasmodium merozoite surface protein-8 (MSP-8) linked to MSP-1₁₉.
 2. The composition of claim 1, wherein said MSP-1₁₉ is covalently linked to MSP-8.
 3. The composition of claim 1, wherein MSP-8 and MSP-1₁₉ are P. falciparum or P. vivax sequences.
 4. The composition of claim 2, wherein said MSP-1₁₉ is linked to said MSP-8 via a linker selected from the group consisting of: a glycine linker, a glycine-rich linker and a glycine-serine linker.
 5. A kit comprising the composition of claim
 1. 6. A vaccine comprising a composition comprising a chimeric protein, wherein said chimeric protein comprises Plasmodium merozoite surface protein-8 (MSP-8) linked to MSP-1₁₉.
 7. The vaccine of claim 6, wherein said MSP-1₁₉ is covalently linked to said MSP-8.
 8. The vaccine of claim 6, wherein said MSP-8 and said MSP-1₁₉ are P. falciparum or P. vivax sequences.
 9. The vaccine of claim 6, further comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
 10. The vaccine of claim 6, further comprising an adjuvant.
 11. The vaccine of claim 7, wherein MSP-1₁₉ is covalently linked to MSP-8 to form a fusion protein comprising the sequence of SEQ ID No.
 23. 